Working Days

In settling lay days, or days of demurrage, sometimes the contract specifies "working days;" in the computation, Sundays and custom-house holidays are excluded. 1 Bell, Comm. (5th Ed.) 577.

In Maritime Law. Working days include all days except Sundays and legal holidays and do not include days on which, by the custom of the port, baymen stop work on the day of the funeral of one of their deceased members; Wood v. Keyser, 84 Fed. 688. In settling lay-days, or days of demurrage, sometimes the contract specifies “working days”; in the computation, Sundays and custom-house holidays are excluded; 1 Bell, Com. 577. Running or calendar days on which the law permits work to be* done. The term excludes Sundays and legal holidays, but not stormy days; Sorensen v. Keyser, 52 Fed. 1G3, 2 C. C. A. 650, 2 U. S. App. 297; Pedersen v. Engster & Co., 14 Fed. 422; The Cyprus, 20 Fed. 144; The Oluf, 19 Fed. 459; and a Saturday half -holiday; Holman y. S. S. Line, 186 Fed. 96, 108 C. C. A. 208. Working or lay-days, by the general rule, do not commence until the vessel has arrived at the usual place for unloading; 1 H. & C. 388; Tweedie Trading Co. v. Barry, 205 Fed. 721, 124 C. C. A. 15; although she was obliged to await her turn to berth; Swan v. Wiley, Harker & Camp Co., 161 Fed. 905, 88 C. C. A. 510. But where such place is a dock, it has been held that they begin when she enters the The parties may, however, stipulate as they please as to the time when they shall commence; 5 Bing. N. C. 71. And It sometimes depends on the usage of the port; 24 E. L. & Eq. 305. Usage, however, cannot be admitted to vary the express terms of the contract; Pars. Ship. & Adin. 313. See Demurrage; Lay-Days.