News  Holiday permits for opening on Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day 2024

Massachusetts — holiday Permits for Opening Columbus Day Veterans Day 2024

holiday Permits for Opening Thanksgiving Christmas Day 2024

TO: All Massachusetts Chiefs of Police; Police Commissioner, City of Boston 
FROM: Michael Flanagan, Director of Department of Labor Standards 
DATE: September 25, 2024 
RE: Statewide Approval for Early Openings on Columbus & Veterans Day 2024  

Please be advised that the Department of Labor Standards hereby approves, on a statewide basis, all permits issued by local police chiefs for openings by establishments prior to 12:00 PM on Columbus Day, October 14, 2024, and prior to 1:00 PM on Veterans Day, November 11, 2024.  

Pursuant to G. L. c. 136, §13, any retail establishment which operates on Columbus Day or the Veterans Day holiday “shall not require any employee to perform such work and an employee’s refusal to work for any retail establishment on such legal holidays shall not be grounds for discrimination, dismissal, discharge, reduction in hours or any other penalty.” The Department of Labor Standards must approve all local permits for retail stores and businesses to open on certain holidays, including Columbus Day before 12:00 PM. and Veterans Day before 1:00 PM. Any business may open on Columbus Day after 12:00 PM or on Veterans Day after 1:00 PM without a permit. Permits must be approved by the Department on a uniform basis statewide. See G.L. c. 136, §§ 6(50), 7, 13, 15. In accordance with this statewide approval, and G. L. c. 136, §§ 13 and 15, police chiefs in each city and town in the Commonwealth hereafter have discretion to issue permits for businesses located in their municipalities to open for business prior to 12:00 PM on Columbus Day 2024 or 1:00 PM on Veterans Day 2024. Police chiefs are not required to grant permits for these holidays and, if they grant permits, chiefs may also impose reasonable terms and conditions appropriate to the nature of the business and the good of the community, at their discretion.    

Michael Flanagan, Director 

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To: All Massachusetts Chiefs of Police, The Police Commissioner of the City of Boston
From: Michael Flanagan, Director Department of Labor Standards 
Date: September 25, 2024
Re: Permits for Holiday Openings Thanksgiving Day-November 28, 2024 and Christmas Day-December 25, 2024 

The Department of Labor Standards must approve all local permits to allow retail stores and businesses to perform work and to be open on certain holidays, including Thanksgiving, November 28, 2024, and Christmas Day, December 25, 2024.

Permits must be approved by the Department of Labor Standards on a uniform basis statewide. See Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 136, §15. 

Please be advised that the Department of Labor Standards will NOT issue statewide approval for permits for businesses to open on Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day 2024. For further information, please view our Blue Laws Overview on our website at https://www.mass.gov/guides/massachusetts-blue-laws-and-working-on-sundays-and-holidays or contact the Department of Labor Standards at (617) 626-6951.

Michael Flanagan, 
Director Department of Labor Standards