CHAPTER 9.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

Arrangement of Sections
 
Section 
§901. Short Title. 
§902. Public Holidays. 
§903. Bills and other payments. 
§904. Payments due on public holidays. 
§905. Declaration of Special Holidays
§906. Right to open public offices.
§907. Purpose of Gospel Day.
§908. Nuclear Victims Remembrance Day.

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An Act to make provision for the declaration of Public Holiday in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.[Section numbering modified to reflect new numbering format[Rev2003]

Commencement: October 24, 1988
Source: P.L. 1988‑16
P.L. 1992‑10
P.L. 1992‑23
P.L. 1993‑7 1
P.L. 1995‑134
P.L. 2003-99
P.L. 2005-35

§901. Short title.

This Chapter may be cited as the Public Holidays Act 1988. [P.L. 1988‑16, §1.]

§902. Public Holidays.

The days mentioned in the Schedule appearing at the end of this Section, hereinafter referred to as "Public Holidays" shall be observed as holidays in all public offices; provided, that if any public holiday referred to in the Schedule hereto falls on a Saturday, the Friday preceding or if it falls on a Sunday the following Monday shall be a public holiday, unless otherwise directed by the Public Service Commission in consultation with the Cabinet. [P.L. 1988‑16, §2.]

§903. Bills and Other Payments.

(1) All bills and other payments which are due and payable on any such public holiday shall be payable and, in case of non‑payment may be noted and protested, on the day following such public holiday, and any such noting and protest shall be as valid as if made on the day on which the bill or payment was made due and payable.

(2) For all purposes of this Chapter the day following a public holiday shall mean the next working day. [P.L. 1988‑16, §3.]

§904. Payments due on public holidays.

No person shall be compelled to make any payment or do any act upon a public holiday which he would not be compelled to make or do on a Saturday or a Sunday. The obligation to make such payment or do such act shall apply to the day following such public holiday, and the making of such payment or doing of such act on such following day shall be equivalent to the payment of the money or performance of the act on the public holiday. [P.L. 1988‑16, §4.]

§905. Declaration of special holidays.

The Public Service Commission, in consultation with the Cabinet, may by notice declare a special day or any part of a day to be observed as a holiday in all public offices in the Marshall Islands, or any part thereof, or in any Island or municipal area, and every day so appointed shall be deemed to be a public holiday for all purposes of this Chapter. [P.L. 1988‑16, §5.]

§906. Right to open public offices.

Notwithstanding anything contained in this Chapter, the head of any Government Ministry, Department or Office may open offices and works thereof and call upon any person employed in such Ministry, Department or Office to perform such of his duties on any public holiday as such head of the Ministry Department or Office may seem fit. [P.L. 1988‑1 6, §6.]

§907. Purpose of Gospel Day.

(1) The Nitijela recognizes that the arrival of foreign missionaries in the Marshall Islands in 1857, marked the beginning of great changes in the lives of the Marshallese people.

(2) The Nitijela recognizes that acceptance of the teachings of the foreign missionaries with respect to the Gospel brought peace and harmony among both Marshallese people and their traditional leaders.

(3) The Nitijela further recognizes that with the introduction of the Gospel to the lives of Marshallese people and their traditional leaders, came political, economic, educational, and spiritual growth for the people. [P.L. 1 993‑71, §2.]

§908 Nuclear Victims Remembrance Day Holiday

In commemoration of, and as a tribute to all those who suffered and continue to suffer as a result of the United States Nuclear Testing Program in the Marshall Islands at the end of World War II, the national flag shall be flown at half-staff on March 1st each year to coincide with the Memorial Day and Nuclear Survivors Remembrance Day holiday. [section added by P.L. 2003-99][name of March 1st holiday further amended by P.L. 2005-35]

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SCHEDULE

January 1	New Years Day
	
March 1	Nuclear Victims Remembrance Day
	
Friday immediately before Easter Sunday	Good Friday
	
May 1	Constitution Day
	
First Friday in July	Fisherman's Day
	
First Friday in September	Dri-jerbal Day
	
Last Friday in September	Manit Day
	
November 17	President's Day
	
First Friday in December	Gospel Day
	
December 25	Christmas Day	

[P.L. 1988‑1 §6; P.L 1992‑10, §2, P.L.1992‑23, §2, P.L 1993‑71 §3, P.L. 1995‑134 §2]["Victims" replaced with "Survivors" by P.L. 2003-99 for the March 1st holiday, but re-named Nuclear Victims Remembrance Day by P.L. 2005-35]