Opinion

Time to rethink government holidays?

An editorial from The Exponent Telegram

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — Everyone who didn’t have to work on Presidents’ Day or Martin Luther King Jr. Day, raise your hands.

Chances are, you probably work for the federal or state government — or a bank — if you did.

Otherwise, like the rest of us, you were probably hard at it for what was just another day of work.

Which raises the question: While it’s surely appropriate to set aside days honoring American notables such as Dr. King and presidents Washington and Lincoln, is it really necessary to shut down government to do so?

In most years, there are 10 federal holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day (actually, it’s officially referred to as Washington’s Birthday), Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas.

Next year, add Inauguration Day to the list.

In West Virginia, meanwhile, state workers get off all the same holidays as federal workers, plus they get paid for not working West Virginia Day and the day after Thanksgiving. And when Christmas and New Year’s days fall on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, state workers get off half a day on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, as well as getting off primary and general election days.

If that sounds like a lot, it’s because it is…

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