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When is Labor Day?
Labor Day falls on Monday, September 7, 2026.
About Labor Day
Labor Day in the United States is a federal holiday observed on the first Monday of September each year. It honours the American labour movement and the contribution of workers to the country. The first Labor Day parade was held in New York City in 1882, organised by the Central Labor Union, and Congress made the day a federal holiday in 1894. Most other countries observe International Workers' Day on May 1, but the United States chose September deliberately, to set its holiday apart from the radical socialist associations of May Day. Labor Day weekend is widely treated as the unofficial end of summer. Beaches wind down, the school year begins, and there is a long-standing fashion rule against wearing white after Labor Day.
The credit for founding Labor Day is disputed between two men with similar names. One is Peter J. McGuire of the American Federation of Labor, the other Matthew Maguire of the International Association of Machinists, and both put the idea forward in 1882. Congress made Labor Day a federal holiday in June 1894, and President Grover Cleveland signed the law. He did so only six days after federal troops had broken up the Pullman railway strike, an action in which several strikers were killed, and the signing was widely seen as an attempt to calm the labour movement. Labor Day weekend is also strongly tied to the start of the American football season, since most college football opens that weekend and the NFL season begins the Thursday after, which makes it one of the biggest sports-viewing weekends of the year.
Frequently asked questions
When is Labor Day?
Labor Day in the United States falls on the first Monday of September each year, so the date moves between September 1 and September 7. Canada observes its own Labour Day on the same first Monday of September. Placing the holiday on a Monday creates a three-day weekend. The date is different from International Workers' Day, the May 1 labour holiday kept in most other countries, and the US choice of September was deliberate.
Why does the US celebrate Labor Day in September instead of May 1?
Most countries hold their workers' holiday on May 1, a date set by the international labour movement and tied to the Haymarket Affair of 1886 in Chicago. The US government was wary of that date because of its links to radical and socialist politics. When Labor Day was made a federal holiday in 1894, the first Monday of September was kept, following the date of an earlier New York labour parade in 1882. The September date gave the US a labour holiday separate from May Day.
What is the origin of Labor Day?
Labor Day grew out of the US labour movement of the late 19th century. The first Labor Day parade was held in New York City on September 5, 1882, organised by the Central Labor Union as a show of strength and solidarity by workers. Other cities took up the idea, and several states made it an official holiday during the 1880s. Congress made Labor Day a national holiday in 1894, fixing it on the first Monday of September.
Is Labor Day a public holiday?
Yes. Labor Day is one of the eleven US federal holidays. Federal and state government offices, banks and schools close, there is no regular mail delivery, and the financial markets are shut. Most private employers also give staff the day off. Because it always falls on a Monday, Labor Day reliably creates a three-day weekend, which is one reason it is so firmly linked with end-of-summer travel and gatherings.
Why is Labor Day called the unofficial end of summer?
Labor Day falls in early September, just as the American summer season is closing. The school year begins around this time in much of the country, many seasonal attractions and pools shut after the weekend, and the holiday marks a shift back to autumn routines. It is the last long weekend of the warm season, so it is heavily used for final summer trips and barbecues. An old fashion rule against wearing white after Labor Day reflects the same seasonal turning point.