The first observance of Labor Day is believed to have been a parade of 10,000 workers on Sept. 5, 1882, in New York City. It was organized by Peter J. McGuire, a Carpenters and Joiners Union secretary. By 1893, more than half the states were observing “Labor Day” on one day or another.

Congress passed a bill to establish a federal holiday in 1894. President Grover Cleveland signed the bill soon afterward, designating the first Monday in September as Labor Day.

As of June, there were 155.2 million people age 16 or older working in the United States.

The number of employed increased 1.4 percent from December 2010 to December 2011, accord to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment increased in 266 of the 322 largest counties (large counties are defined as having employment levels of 75,000 or more).

The number of people who worked from home in 2010 was 5.9 million.

The 2010 real median earnings for male and female full-time, year-round workers, was $47,715 and $46,931, respectively.

The percentage of workers who drove alone to work in 2010 was 76.6 percent, while 9.7 percent car pooled and 4.9 percent took public transportation (excluding taxis).