Is Good Friday a Holiday in the USA?

[JSCOOK]

Here in Canada today being Good Friday is a national holiday and everything is closed for the day (same with Easter Sunday).

But I have already had several service calls on my cell phone (I look after Service Engineering) already this morning from our US Customers who are out working like a regular work day ... which has several of us with our company very surprised at this moment ... we didn't expect it, and haven't encoutered it in past years.

So the question is ... is today a recognized holiday or not in the US (according to wikipedia it's a national holiday) ... and who is actually working? ... are the stores open?

(We're thinking that maybe we'll have to plan different for next year)

[LarryG]

So the question is ... is today a recognized holiday or not in the US (according to wikipedia it's a nathional holiday) ... and who is actually working? ... are the stores open?

No. Everyone. Yes. In that order.

[Hellrazor]

Its a holiday for some and not for others. Post office is working today, not sure about other Federal stuff.

[Tom Miller]

I honestly don't know about banks, since I haven't been inside one for years, but I'm at work with most other United Stateslians , and stores are all open.

Locals schools are on spring break all week, so that doesn't count.

Regards,
Tom

[MikeMcCoy]

Its a holiday for some and not for others. Post office is working today, not sure about other Federal stuff.

It's not a federal holiday.

[JSCOOK]

So are you guys getting Monday off instead, or is it more or less just another regular weekend as opposed to a "long weekend"?

[JR]

The stock markets are closed, but the bond markets are open.

I'm at work.

JR

[LarryG]

So are you guys getting Monday off instead, or is it more or less just another regular weekend as opposed to a "long weekend"?

We'll have our noses back on the grindstones come Monday. It's just a regular weekend for most of us.

I didn't realize the stock market was closed. Banks probably are too, since they lock the doors at every possible excuse.

[Tom Miller]

The stock markets are closed....

Dang! No wonder my first day of Day Trading isn't going so well....


Regards,
Tom

[Knottscott]

It is to me, and work is closed for the day. We'll be at church at least 3 times between last night and Easter Sunday. It seems to me that banks used to close early on Good Friday when I was a kid, but secularity may have erroded some of those traditions....it's embarrassing but I don't even know for sure!

It's disappointing to see the US Post Office delivering mail on Good Friday, but they'll take off for several other days that I consider far more minor Holidays.

[Russianwolf]

The US Gov is very leary of making too many religious Holidays. the only one is Christmas and the religious part of Dec 25th can be debatable since some think Jesus was born in the Spring.

If the gov did recognise good friday and easter "monday" then it would open the door to all the other religions to demand recognition of there holidays. Then we would wind up like France. Working 6 months and partying the rest.

Hold it, that's a bad thing???????

[Tequila]

I'm at the office, as is everyone else I know. I will be on Monday too. There's a few stores around that are either closed or close early on Sunday.

[Knottscott]

The US Gov is very leary of making too many religious Holidays. the only one is Christmas and the religious part of Dec 25th can be debatable since some think Jesus was born in the Spring.

If the gov did recognise good friday and easter "monday" then it would open the door to all the other religions to demand recognition of there holidays. Then we would wind up like France. Working 6 months and partying the rest.

Hold it, that's a bad thing???????

That would be a significant increase in hours worked for the US government!

Kind of ironic that they back down from too many majority religious Holidays but recognize a specific "minority" history month without recognizing any such months for other races or ethnicities that I'm aware of.

[Kristofor]

I think the amazing part is that it sounds like your stores actually close on holidays themselves!

Down here most places are closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas (but more and more places are staying open those days too), any other holiday just means people aren't working so they can be shopping...

[jziegler]

It seems to me like it's about half and half for businesses (non-retail) being closed today. I'm at work. My dad has a holiday. Lots of other relatives are teachers, so they get off today, as well as some other days. But none of them all week. Also, lots of people here are either taking a day of vacation or at least half a day.

Jim