Why do we celebrate Labor Day?

"Observed the first Monday in September, Labor Day is an annual celebration of the social and economic achievement of American workers. The holiday is rooted in the late 19th century, when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America's strength, prosperity and well-being. Before it was a federal holiday, Labor Day was recognized by labor activists and individual states. After municipal ordinances were passed in 1885 and 1886, a movement developed to secure state legislation. New York was the first state to introduce a bill, but Oregon was the first to pass a law recognizing Labor Day, on Feb. 21, 1887. During 1887, four more states - Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York - passed laws creating a Labor Day holiday. By the end of the decade Connecticut, Nebraska and Pennsylvania had followed suit. By 1894, 23 more states had adopted the holiday, and on June 28, 1894, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday."

Source: U.S. Department of Labor

Occupations with more than 1 million full-time, year-round workers by gender

Female workers

- Registered nurses: 2,092,489

- Secretaries and administrative assistants: 2,060,289

- Elementary and middle school teachers: 1,933,074

- Customer service representatives: 1,196,513

- Accountants and auditors: 1,014,827

Male workers

- Driver/sales workers and truck drivers: 2,585,286

- First-line supervisors of retails sales workers: 1,515,173

- Construction laborers: 1,242,848

- Janitors and building cleaners: 1,188,748

- Retail salespersons: 1,039,912

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2017 American Community Survey

Sumter County population, 2020 Census: 105,556

Economy

- In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2015-2019: 56.6%

- In civilian labor force, female, percent of population age 16 years+, 2015-2019: 54.2%

- Total retail sales, 2012 ($1,000)(c): 1,096,828*

- Total retail sales per capita, 2012: $10,151

Businesses

- Total employer establishments, 2019: 1,763

- Total employment, 2019: 32,663

- Total annual payroll, 2019 ($1,000): 1,263,008

- Total employment, percent change, 2018-2019: 2.0%

- Total nonemployer establishments, 2018: 6,244

- All firms, 2012: 7,518

- Men-owned firms, 2012: 4,045

- Women-owned firms, 2012: 2,803

- Minority-owned firms, 2012: 2,825

- Nonminority-owned firms, 2012: 4,428

- Veteran-owned firms, 2012: 1,057

- Nonveteran-owned firms, 2012: 6,049

* (c) Economic Census - Puerto Rico data are not comparable to U.S. Economic Census data