Yes Pennsylvania, There is a Presidents' Day

Lawffice Space readers may recall two posts I published last year explaining that "Washington's Birthday" is a federal holiday and "Presidents Day" is not. See general history and a gentle criticism of some misreporting. Well fear not Pennsylvania, there is a Presidents' Day and it is today!

Pennsylvania has a statute designating holidays that specifically includes "the third Monday of February, known as Presidents' Day." 44 Pa. Stat. Ann. § 11. I find it interesting that Pennsylvania uses the possessive form, indicating that the day belongs to the presidents. By contrast, the federal holiday, Veterans Day, does not use an apostrophe indicating possession. The theory is that it is a day to celebrate all veterans (plural, not possessive). However, here too, Pennsylvania has designated it Veterans' (possessive) Day.

So, happy Presidents' Day Pennsylvania.

Posted by Philip Miles, an attorney with McQuaide Blasko in State College, Pennsylvania in the firm's civil litigation and labor and employment law practice groups.