Spencer Kent | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

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Labor Day is Monday, Sept. 4

Monday, Sept. 4 is Labor Day in the U.S. — a holiday observed on the first Monday of September, honoring the contributions and achievements of American workers. The holiday also marks the unofficial end of summer in the U.S. and is celebrated with parades, barbecues, trips to the shore and other events.

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Is Labor Day a federal holiday?

Yes. In 1894, Congress passed legislation setting aside the first Monday of every September to recognize and honor American workers.

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Why was legislation passed?

The designation of Labor Day as a federal holiday arose from the extremely harsh time for workers in America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when the average worker toiled 12-hour days, seven days a week, under horrible and often deadly conditions — and all for a meager wage, according to History.com.

Such conditions — of which millions of children also endured — eventually sparked labor unions as well as strikes and rallies in which workers demanded better wages, reasonable hours and safer working conditions.

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What prompted the first Labor Day parade?

The first Labor Day parade in U.S. history was in New York City on Sept. 5, 1882, according to History.com, drawing a crowd of 10,000 workers took who had taken an unpaid day-off to march from City Hall to Union Square. The parade followed the many strikes and rallies already being held at the time in demand of better working conditions. However, today, the holiday pays respect to all American workers, commemorating their contributions and sacrifices in the growth of the country.

South Plainfield will be hosting its 60th annual Labor Day Parade and festival on Monday starting at 10 a.m. It is one of the best attended Labor Day parades in New Jersey.

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When is the next federal holiday?

The next federal holiday after Labor Day will be Columbus Day on Monday, Oct. 9.

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What's the weather supposed to be like on Labor Day?

Despite a rainy start to Labor Day weekend, the forecast for the federal holiday on Monday looks promising for New Jersey. The National Weather Service says it should be sunny with highs in the low 80s.

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Is the Post Office open? Will packages be delivered?

No. Because Labor Day is a federal holiday, there will be no mail delivered on Monday. UPS and FedEx also won't be delivering mail on Monday. However, UPS will still have its "Express Critical" service in operation, and FedEx will be offering its "modified service" with early on-call and drop-off box pickups in some areas.

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Is the Motor Vehicle Commission open on Labor Day?

No. Motor Vehicle Commission locations and inspection stations will be closed.

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What about NJ Transit?

Due to the holiday, NJ Transit will operate on a holiday or special service schedule. NJ Transit is urging riders to use its online trip planner for arrival and departure times. PATH trains will operate on a Saturday schedule, and SEPTA and Amtrak trains will run on Sunday schedules.

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Are state offices, courts, banks, libraries and schools open on Labor Day?

No, all will be closed because of the federal holiday. The financial and stock markets will also be closed.

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What about food stores like ShopRite, Whole Foods?

Yes, for the most part, retail stores like Walmart, ShopRite and Whole Foods will be open.

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How about major retailers like Walmart, Target and Best Buy?

Yes, many major retail stores will be open, many of which will be offering some pretty good sales.

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How about malls?

Yes, most malls throughout the state should be open, with retail outlets likely offering holiday deals. Here is a list of the malls open on Labor Day: The Shops at Riverside, Livingston Mall, Rockaway Townsquare, Menlo Park, Ocean County, Newport Center, the Willowbrook Mall, Quaker Bridge Mall and Moorestown Mall, the Mall at Short Hills, the Mills at Jersey Gardens and the Westfield Garden State Plaza.

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Can I catch a movie?

Yes, Labor Day can be a great time to catch a movie with some friends or family.

Some of the movies that you can catch on Labor Day include Baadshaho, A Gentleman, Arjun Reddy, Leap!, Vivegam and Birth of the Dragon.

Bow Tie Cinemas and AMC theaters are among the cinemas open on Labor Day.

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Coffee?

Starbucks and Dunkin'Donuts should be open at locations throughout the state, though make sure to check individual stores hours.

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Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.