CHAPTER 1C
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS AND RECOGNITION DAYS

 
This chapter not enacted as a part of this title;

sections 1C.1 and 1C.2 transferred from sections 33.1 and 33.2;

sections 1C.3 – 1C.9 from sections 31.4 – 31.10;

and section 1C.10 from section 186A.1 in Code 1993

  
     
1C.1  Legal public holidays.
  The following are legal public holidays:
  1.  New Year’s Day, January 1.
  2.  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday, the third Monday in January.
  3.  Lincoln’s Birthday, February 12.
  4.  Washington’s Birthday, the third Monday in February.
  5.  Memorial Day, the last Monday in May.
  6.  Independence Day, July 4.
  7.  Labor Day, the first Monday in September.
  8.  Veterans Day, November 11.
  9.  Thanksgiving Day, the fourth Thursday in November.
  10.  Christmas Day, December 25.
[C71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §33.1]
86 Acts, ch 1164, §1
C93, §1C.1
Referred to in §63.1, 235B.2, 421.9A

     
1C.2  Paid holidays.
  1.  State employees are granted, except as provided in subsection 3, the following holidays off from employment with pay:
  a.  New Year’s Day, January 1.
  b.  Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday, the third Monday in January.
  c.  Memorial Day, the last Monday in May.
  d.  Independence Day, July 4.
  e.  Labor Day, the first Monday in September.
  f.  Veterans Day, November 11.
  g.  Thanksgiving Day, the fourth Thursday in November.
  h.  Friday after Thanksgiving, the Friday following Thanksgiving Day.
  i.  Christmas Day, December 25.
  2.  a.  State employees are granted two days of paid leave each year to be added to the vacation allowance and accrued under the provisions of section 70A.1. In addition, an appointing authority shall grant not more than four additional days of paid leave each year as required to implement contract provisions negotiated pursuant to chapter 20.
  b.  The executive council may designate days off from employment with pay in addition to those enumerated in this section for state employees at its discretion.
  3.  If a holiday enumerated in this section falls on Saturday, the preceding Friday shall be granted and if a holiday enumerated in this section falls on Sunday, the following Monday shall be granted. In those cases, where by nature of the employment a state employee must be required to work on a holiday the provisions of subsection 1 shall not apply, however, compensation shall be made on the basis of the employee’s straight time hourly rate for a forty-hour workweek and shall be made in either compensatory time off or cash payment, at the discretion of the appointing authority unless otherwise provided for in a collective bargaining agreement. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, an employee of the state who does not accrue sick leave or vacation, and who works on a holiday, shall receive regular pay for the hours worked on that holiday and shall not otherwise earn holiday compensatory pay.
  4.  A holiday or paid leave granted to a state employee under this section shall be in addition to vacation time to which a state employee is entitled under section 70A.1.
[C75, 77, 79, 81, §33.2]
84 Acts, ch 1180, §7; 86 Acts, ch 1163, §1 – 3
C93, §1C.2
2008 Acts, ch 1031, §1
Referred to in §200A.8, 252I.1, 421.9A

     
1C.3  Mother’s Day — Father’s Day.
  The governor of this state is authorized and requested to issue annually a proclamation calling upon our state officials to display the American flag on all state and school buildings, and the people of the state to display the flag at their homes, lodges, churches, and places of business, on the second Sunday in May, known as Mother’s Day, and on the third Sunday in June, known as Father’s Day, as a public expression of reverence for the homes of our state, and to urge the celebration of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day in the proclamation in such a way as will deepen home ties, and inspire better homes and closer union between the commonwealth, its homes, and their children.
[C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §471; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §31.4]
85 Acts, ch 99, §1
C93, §1C.3

     
1C.4  Independence Sunday.
  The governor is hereby authorized and requested to issue annually a proclamation, calling upon the citizens of Iowa to assemble themselves in their respective communities for the purpose of holding suitable religious-patriotic services and the display of the American colors, in commemoration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, on Independence Sunday, which is hereby established as the Sunday preceding the Fourth of July of each year, or on the Fourth when that date falls on Sunday.
[C27, 31, 35, §471-b1; C39, §471.1; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §31.5]
C93, §1C.4

     
1C.5  Columbus Day.
  The governor of this state is hereby authorized and requested to issue annually a proclamation, calling upon our state officials to display the American flag on all state and school buildings and the people of the state to display the flag at their homes, lodges, churches, and places of business on the twelfth day of October, known as Columbus Day; to commemorate the life and history of Christopher Columbus and to urge that services and exercises be had in churches, halls and other suitable places expressive of the public sentiment befitting the anniversary of the discovery of America.
[C35, §471-g1; C39, §471.2; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §31.6]
C93, §1C.5

     
1C.6  Veterans Day.
  The governor is hereby authorized and requested to issue annually a proclamation designating the eleventh day of November as Veterans Day and calling upon the people of Iowa to observe it as a legal holiday in honor of those who have been members of the armed forces of the United States, and urging state officials to display the American flag on all state and school buildings and the people of the state to display the flag at their homes, lodges, churches and places of business; that business activities be held to the necessary minimum; and that appropriate services and exercises be had expressive of the public sentiments befitting the occasion.
[C58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §31.7]
C93, §1C.6

  
     
1C.7  Youth Honor Day.
  The governor of this state is hereby requested and authorized to issue annually a proclamation designating the thirty-first day of October of each year as Youth Honor Day.
[C62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §31.8]
C93, §1C.7

     
1C.8  Herbert Hoover Day.
  The Sunday which falls on or nearest the tenth day of August of each year is hereby designated as Herbert Hoover Day, which shall be a recognition day in honor of the late President Herbert Hoover. The governor is hereby authorized and requested to issue annually a proclamation designating such Sunday as Herbert Hoover Day and calling on the people and officials of the state of Iowa to commemorate the life and principles of Herbert Hoover, to display the American flag, and to hold appropriate services and ceremonies.
[C71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §31.9]
C93, §1C.8

  
     
1C.9  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
  1.  The third Monday of January of each year is designated as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which shall be a recognition day in honor of the late civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
  2.  The governor is authorized and requested to issue annually a proclamation designating such Monday as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and calling on the people and officials of the state of Iowa to commemorate the life and principles of Dr. King, to display the American flag, and to hold appropriate private services and ceremonies.
[C79, 81, §31.10]
86 Acts, ch 1164, §2
C93, §1C.9
2020 Acts, ch 1062, §94

     
1C.10  Arbor Day and Week.
  The last Friday in April in each year shall be observed in Iowa as Arbor Day and the week in which this Friday falls shall be observed as Arbor Week. This day and week shall be designated annually by the governor with suitable proclamation urging that schools, civic organizations, governmental departments and all citizens and groups give serious thought to and appreciation of the contribution of trees to the beauty and economic welfare of Iowa.
[C62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §186A.1]
C93, §1C.10

  
     
1C.11  Iowa State Flag Day.
  The governor of this state is hereby requested and authorized to issue annually a proclamation designating the twenty-ninth day of March as Iowa State Flag Day and to urge that schools, civic organizations, governmental departments, and all citizens and groups display the Iowa state flag on that day and to reflect on and consider the heritage of the state flag.
98 Acts, ch 1023, §1

     
1C.12  Dr. Norman E. Borlaug World Food Prize Day.
  The governor of this state is hereby authorized and requested to issue annually a proclamation designating the sixteenth day of October as Dr. Norman E. Borlaug World Food Prize Day and to encourage all governmental entities, civic organizations, schools, and institutions of higher education in the state to observe the day in a manner that emphasizes the meaning and importance of the work, accomplishments, and heroic contributions to humanity of Nobel peace prize laureate Dr. Norman E. Borlaug and to give attention and support to the programs and activities of the world food prize which was inspired and created by Dr. Norman E. Borlaug to alleviate poverty, hunger, and malnutrition throughout the world.
2002 Acts, ch 1160, §1

  
     
1C.13  Bill of Rights Day.
  The governor of this state is hereby authorized and requested to issue annually a proclamation designating the fifteenth day of December as Bill of Rights Day and to encourage all governmental bodies in the state to observe the day in a manner that emphasizes the meaning and importance of the first ten amendments to the Constitution of the United States, and encourage a formal recitation of the Bill of Rights in its entirety in all schools, government meetings, and courtrooms on or about that date.
2002 Acts, ch 1053, §1

     
1C.14  Juneteenth National Freedom Day.
  The governor of this state is hereby authorized and requested to issue annually a proclamation designating the third Saturday in June as Juneteenth National Freedom Day and to encourage all governmental entities, civic organizations, schools, and institutions of higher education in the state to observe the day in a manner that emphasizes the meaning and importance of the emancipation proclamation that ended slavery in the United States and to recognize and celebrate the importance of this day to every person who cherishes liberty and equality for all people.
2002 Acts, ch 1105, §1

     
1C.15  Gift to Iowa’s Future Recognition Day.
  The governor of this state is hereby authorized and requested to issue annually a proclamation designating the first Monday in April as Gift to Iowa’s Future Recognition Day to recognize, celebrate, and honor those public-spirited individuals and corporations who have donated land or a conservation easement to benefit Iowa’s parks, trails, fish and wildlife habitat, natural areas, open spaces, and public recreation areas and for other public uses and benefits. The department of natural resources shall maintain a registry to record the names of and suitably honor all persons who have donated land or a conservation easement for public use as described in this section.
2008 Acts, ch 1054, §1
Conservation easements, chapter 457A 

     
1C.16  Purple Heart Day.
  The governor of this state is hereby requested and authorized to issue annually a proclamation designating the seventh day of August as Purple Heart Day and to encourage all governmental bodies in the state to observe the day in a manner that honors the sacrifice of those men and women who shed their blood and gave their lives in service to the United States of America.
2011 Acts, ch 54, §1

     
1C.17  George Washington Carver Day.
  The governor of this state is hereby authorized and requested to issue annually a proclamation designating the first day of February as George Washington Carver Day and to encourage all governmental entities, civic organizations, schools, and institutions of higher education in the state to observe the day in a manner that emphasizes the meaning and importance of the scientific and agricultural accomplishments and global humanitarian achievements of professor Carver and to acknowledge the Iowa educational institutions, Simpson college and Iowa state university, that allowed George Washington Carver to persevere through racial barriers and fulfill his potential as a human being.
2022 Acts, ch 1133, §1