Labour Day in American Samoa
Labour Day is a statutory public holiday in American Samoa, observed on the first Monday in September. The territory’s rules provide a paid holiday for government employees and extra pay for government staff required to work that day.[1][2]
Legal status and date
American Samoa lists Labor Day among its public holidays and sets it on the first Monday in September. The territory’s government-employee regulations also designate it as a paid holiday for agency employees.[1]
For government employees whose workweek runs Monday through Friday, a holiday falling on a workday is observed that day. The separate rules for a holiday that falls on a Saturday or Sunday do not normally affect Labor Day, which is fixed on a Monday. If a government employee must work on a public holiday, the statute provides an additional day’s pay in lieu of the holiday.[2][3]
Meaning and history
The name connects the holiday with labor. The U.S. Department of Labor describes the wider American observance as a recognition of workers’ social and economic contributions, with roots in late-nineteenth-century labor activism. That background helps explain the holiday’s broader meaning, while American Samoa’s local public-holiday status comes from territorial law.[1][4]
American Samoa’s archives preserve local Labor Day material, including newspaper items from the Faatonu, a semi-monthly newspaper published in the territory from 1904 to 1958, and records relating to government workers.[5]
Observance and practical planning
The laws establish the holiday and government employees’ pay entitlements, but no customary ceremony, meal or public event is established throughout American Samoa. The government’s archive collection shows that Labor Day has appeared in local records, but it does not establish that any particular event takes place every year.[1][2][5]
Opening hours vary by provider. Check directly with the office or business you plan to visit, and consult government notices for any local arrangements.
Frequently asked questions
Is Labour Day a public holiday in American Samoa?
Yes. American Samoa’s public-holiday rules list Labor Day, and government-employee regulations designate it as a paid holiday for agency employees.[1]
When is Labour Day observed?
It falls on the first Monday in September under American Samoa’s public-holiday rules.[1]
Do all workers get the day off?
The cited paid-holiday provisions apply to government employees. A government employee required to work on the holiday receives an additional day’s pay; the cited rules do not establish a general private-sector day off.[2]
Sources and references
Sources used for Labour Day in American Samoa:
- 4.2403 Holidays-Designated-Proclamation.- American Samoa Bar Association
- 7.1205 Paid holidays.- American Samoa Bar Association
- 4.2404 Holidays-Days observed.- American Samoa Bar Association
- History of Labor Day- U.S. Department of Labor
- Labor Day- American Samoa Government, Office of Archives & Records