Depending on where in the United States you live and for whom you work, Columbus Day may be a paid day off, an unpaid commemorative day, another holiday entirely or a regular Monday.

Columbus Day, the second Monday in October, has long been one of the most inconsistently celebrated U.S. holidays. It’s an official federal holiday, which means federal workers normally get a paid day off and there’s no mail delivery. (This year, many federal offices already are closed because of the ongoing government shutdown.) Most banks and the bond markets that trade in U.S. government debt also will be closed, but the stock markets, most retailers and other businesses will remain open.

However, the holiday has faced scrutiny from Native American advocates and others, who’ve argued that Christopher Colu

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