Holiday and Vacation Law Summaries

Holiday and Vacation Law Summaries

Arizona, Holiday and Vacation Law Summaries

Arizona's holiday law is codified in the Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 1, Secs. 301-306. Arizona's vacation law is codified in the Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 23, Secs. 23-350 and 23-353.

COVERAGE

Arizona's holiday law covers only state government employees (Sec. 1-302). The provisions of Section 23-353, payment of wages of discharged employees, cover all employers (Sec. 23-353(a)).

EXCEPTIONS

Exceptions to closing of state offices.- Public offices will not be open, and no court of justice will be open or any judicial business transacted on a legal holiday, except for the following purposes (Sec. 1-302):

1. to give upon its request, instructions to a jury deliberating on its verdict;

2. to receive a verdict or discharge a jury;

3. for the exercise of the powers of a magistrate in a criminal action or proceeding of a criminal nature.

WHAT THE EMPLOYER MUST DO

Holidays defined.- The following days are holidays (Sec. 1-301):

1. Sunday of each week;

2. January 1, New Year's Day;

3. third Monday in January, Martin Luther King, Jr./Civil Rights Day;

4. third Monday in February, Lincoln/Washington Presidents' Day;

5. second Sunday in May, Mothers' Day;

6. last Monday in May, Memorial Day;

7. third Sunday in June, Fathers' Day;

8. July 4, Independence Day;

9. first Sunday in August, American Family Day;

10. first Monday in September, Labor Day;

11. September 17, Constitution Day;

12. second Monday in October, Columbus Day;

13. November 11, Veterans' Day;

14. fourth Thursday in November, Thanksgiving Day;

15. December 25, Christmas Day.

Holidays falling on a weekend.- When any of the holidays enumerated above fall on a Sunday, the following Monday will be observed as a holiday, with the exceptions of Sunday, Mother's Day, Father's Day, American Family Day, and Constitution Day (Sec. 1-306(b)).

When New Year's Day, Independence Day, Veteran's Day, and Christmas Day fall on a Saturday, the preceding Friday will be observed as a holiday (Sec. 1-306(c)).

When Constitution Day falls on a day other than Sunday, the Sunday preceding September 17 will be observed as such holiday (Sec. 1-306(d)).

Wages/vested vacation wages.- Arizona includes vacation benefits in the statutory definition of wages due upon termination (Secs. 23-350 and 23-353).

See ¶3-1200 for a full summary of the state's wage payment law.