J. J. Keller® Compliance Network

This federal holiday is observed on the third Monday in January. All government offices (and many businesses) are closed that day in honor of Dr. King and his contributions to the civil rights movement. A growing number of employers give employees this day off while encouraging them to use the time volunteering. No mail is delivered, so no bills or paychecks will arrive.

Companies are required to post OSHA Form 300A (Annual Summary) or equivalent between 2/1/2021 and 4/30/2021.

Nonexempt employees who are working on this date at 2:00 a.m. may lose an hour of pay since they will not work between 2:00 and 3:00 a.m. when the clocks move forward. Employers may, however, adjust nonexempt employees’ schedules for that day to give them an additional hour of work. Some states and locations do not observe DST and some are working on adopting it year-round.

Not an official holiday, this day (always a Monday) is supposedly depressing because of a combination of post-holiday bills, the abandonment of New Year resolutions, low sunlight levels, and cold weather in the northern hemisphere. Conditions such as Seasonal Affective Disorder may require accommodations, such as being moved to a location with access to sunlight, for employees who feel afflicted.

On this federal holiday, the president-elect and vice-president-elect will be sworn in and take office. This may spark heated conversations among employees. Remember, certain kinds of speech are protected under law. For example, the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) says that workers have the right to discuss topics such as wages, hours, and working conditions. Thus, having a blanket “no political talk” policy should be avoided because subjects like paid leave or minimum wage could come up.

First celebrated in 1970, Earth Day is an annual event celebrated around the world to demonstrate support for environmental protection.

Are any city or state minimum wage increases taking effect today? If so, check local labor law posters! Make sure they show the new rate. Interestingly, January 1 was not always the first day of a new year. September, October, November, and December got their names from Latin, and were the seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth months of the year in the ancient Roman calendar. The year began in March and the following winter days were not included as part of any month.

This federal holiday is observed on the third Monday in January. All government offices (and many businesses) are closed that day in honor of Dr. King and his contributions to the civil rights movement. A growing number of employers give employees this day off while encouraging them to use the time volunteering. No mail is delivered, so no bills or paychecks will arrive.