Take a load off this Labor Day weekend. One of 11 federal holidays, Labor Day honors America's workers and is celebrated on the first Monday of September. Its origins are rooted in late 1800s efforts to recognize the contributions the country's workers, and labor activists ultimately helped establish the 40-hour work week and weekends. President Grover Cleveland made the US holiday official in 1894. Today, many Americans celebrate the long weekend, which is often considered the unofficial end of summer, by grilling, hanging out with friends and family, and going to parades.