(a) Legislative findings.
(1) The religious, ethnic, and cultural heritage of County residents is very diverse.
(2) The County benefits economically, intellectually, culturally, and socially from the richness and strength of its diversity and seeks to promote an inclusive community for all residents.
(3) The County’s respect for the diversity of its own workforce is reflected in the County’s rules governing leave and alternate work schedules for religious observance.
(4) The ability of County employees to meet the needs of County residents and provide high quality customer service is enhanced when County employees know that certain days have special religious, ethnic, or cultural meaning that will affect the daily activities of a significant number of County residents.
(b) Days of commemoration.
(1) Each of the following calendar days is designated a day of commemoration:
(A) Eid Ul-Adha;
(B) Asian Lunar New Year;
(C) Martin Luther King Day;
(D) Ash Wednesday;
(E) Purim;
(F) Passover;
(G) Holy Thursday;
(H) Good Friday;
(I) Easter;
(J) Orthodox Holy Thursday;
(K) Orthodox Good Friday;
(L) Orthodox Easter;
(M) Ascension Thursday (Western);
(N) Shavuot;
(O) Feast of the Assumption;
(P) Juneteenth;
(Q) Rosh Hashanah;
(R) Yom Kippur;
(S) Succoth;
(T) Shemini Atzeret;
(U) Simchas Torah;
(V) Eid Ul-Fitr;
(W) Diwali;
(X) Feast of All Saints;
(Y) Feast of the Immaculate Conception;
(Z) Christmas;
(AA) Kwanza;
(BB) Korean American Day;
(CC) Three Kings Day;
(DD) Orthodox Christmas Day;
(EE) Parinirvana - Nirvana Day;
(FF) President’s Day;
(GG) Magha Puja;
(HH) Norouz;
(II) Theravada New Year;
(JJ) Festival of Ridvan;
(KK) Wesak or Buddha Day;
(LL) Ascention Thursday (Orthodox);
(MM) Memorial Day;
(NN) Dharma Day;
(OO) Independence Day;
(PP) Ramadan: The Islamic Month of Fasting;
(QQ) Labor Day;
(RR) Veterans’ Day;
(SS) Thanksgiving Day;
(TT) American Indian Heritage Day;
(UU) Hanukkah (Chanukah); and
(VV) Bodhi Day.
(2) In addition to the days listed in paragraph (1), the Chief Administrative Officer may designate as a day of commemoration any day that the Chief Administrative Officer determines has special religious, ethnic, or cultural meaning that may affect the daily activities of a significant portion of the County’s total population.
(c) First notice to County employees. Once every 3 months, the Chief Administrative Officer must notify all County employees electronically of the dates of all days of commemoration that will occur in the next 3 months and provide:
(1) a brief explanation, based on a generally accepted reference source, of the religious, ethnic, or cultural meaning of each day of commemoration and the date on which the day is usually observed;
(2) any relevant information regarding the manner in which the daily activities of County residents on the day may affect programs and services provided by the County; and
(3) for days with religious meaning, an explanation of the County’s rules governing leave and alternate work schedules for religious observance.
(d) Second notice to County employees. In the 7-day period preceding a day of commemoration or, for a multi-day celebration, the first day of commemoration, the Chief Administrative Officer must:
(1) notify all County employees electronically of the date of the day of commemoration or, for a multi-day celebration, the dates of the days of commemoration; and
(2) provide the information required by subsection (c)(1) through (3) regarding the applicable day or days of commemoration.
(e) The Chief Administrative Officer must maintain a list of all days of commemoration and make the list accessible to the public by posting it on the County’s website.
(f) The County Executive may, by regulation adopted under method (2), remove a day designated as a day of commemoration under subsection (b)(1) from the County’s list of days of commemoration. (2006 L.M.C., ch. 6, § 1; 2012 L.M.C., ch. 4, § 1; 2012 L.M.C., ch. 5, § 1.)