Plan B Forum

I have just heard from the old Hen that the US does not observe Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Sunday and Monday as work-free religious holidays.

Is this true?

You are a squillion times more religious than us down under and Easter potentially is a bigger event in the Christian calendar then Christmas.

What gives with the lack of observance for this time of year?

Depends on the job. Mondya got booted from many union jobs about a decade ago. Because you know unions are greedy and never give anything back

My local Ducky's Car Wash is closed on Easter Sunday (as an aside, everybody that works there is Hispanic, whatever that may mean). Other than Ducky's, I don't know of any other place that closes on any of those four days.

I remember when most businesses closed from noon to 3PM on Good Friday, but that doesn't happen anymore.

Easter Saturday & Monday?

Never heard of it, other than seeing 'Easter Monday' on some calendars.

And I went to Catholic School.

The Friday and Sunday dates are the important ones here.

Though for shop workers the Saturday, Sunday and Monday it is great news for them because, although the stores are open, the workers get paid at a far higher rate.

Gob is working Saturday, Sunday and Monday. I am sat on my arse enjoying the break and thankful for yet another religious holiday.

We have had these days off for as long as I can remember. it is only in recent years that shops decided to stay open and cash in on people having more time to buy things.

I just assumed everyone had these days off as well. I mustard mitt I am a little shocked that you don't.

The stock market is always closed on Good Friday.

I had never even heard of the concept of "Easter Monday" until a few years ago.

Ours is for the Friday and Monday.

Yep, I'm sat on my fat arse in the office, on double time.

BUT, I'm taking a breather from having repeated visits to an actively suicidal kid, who, for now, I've decided to leave at home with his parents supervising him. (His, and their, choice too.)

Banging a kid up on Easter Sunday would NOT be fun. (Just think of all the fucking paperwork!)

We believe in separation of Church & State.

Except at Christmas.

The pastor of my church needs to work on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Lord Jim wrote:The stock market is always closed on Good Friday.

I had never even heard of the concept of "Easter Monday" until a few years ago.

Schools and some businesses are closed Good Friday...many stores are closed on Easter.

Friday is a paid work holiday for some, but not all. It was a regular work day for us but few were left by 1pm (the day off is combined with a few others and used for a complete shutdown between x-ms and new year). A large number of people observe Easter Sunday and many businesses are closed. I don't recall that any thing special was done about Monday.

yrs,
rubato

The Federal government does not acknowledge Good Friday or Easter, and neither is a holiday on their schedule, although, of course Easter is a Sunday. National banks also are open for business on Good Friday.

The commercial world considers Good Friday a good day to be open for business.

I was astounded (and pleased) yesterday to go to Sam's Club for gas (GasBuddy said they were cheapest) and find that they were closed.

Most U.S. states used to have what were called "Blue Laws" that prohibited most kinds of crass commercial activity on Sundays (pharmacies and restaurants could be open). Some retailers decided to simply pay the fines and remain open on Sunday in order to gain competive advantage. Then all their competitors followed suit. Soon the laws were either relegated to "dead letter" status or repealed.

Good Friday is in fact a state holiday in New Jersey (and as far as I can tell in most every other state, too); all state offices are closed, as are the courts and virtually all schools (although the school closing is technically optional at the discretion of the local Board of Education). Bank closings are optional. Dave notes that for the federal government the post office is open and there is mail delivery, however the federal courts are closed (at least in the districts where I practice). Today (Monday) we're all back to business (except most schools remain closed for Spring Break).

Sue, surely you are incorrect. Haven't these locales heard about the Giant Fucking Wall of Separation Between Church and STATE?!!! Which is hidden among the emanations and penumbras of the First God-Damned Amendment, which is made applicable to the States by the FOURTEENTH???!!!!!

Why on earth would that mass of decrepit humanity known as the New Jersey Taxpayer pay to fund a holiday for STATE workers on a day that commemorates the death of Jesus [blanking] Christ?

They must have designated it as Easter Bunny Day or something. Certainly they are not celebrating Good Friday.

I surely don't mean to over-reach Dave, but I can't help but think that I may be detecting a note of sarcasm there...

I don't agree with the practice, nor do I agree that Christmas should be "observed" by governmental entities. However, there is a practical reality that many people will be taking those days off anyway, and since little or no work will be getting done you might as well designate those days as holidays and save the taxpayers the operating expense. (In very much the same way that many offices are closed on "Black Friday," which is generally not considered a religious holiday.)

Wiki:

Good Friday is a state holiday in Connecticut,[10]Delaware,[11]Florida,[12]Hawaii,[13]Indiana,[14]Kentucky,[15]Louisiana,[16]New Jersey,[17]North Carolina,[18]North Dakota,[19]Tennessee[20] and Texas.[21]