Do you get paid on Juneteenth?
JUNETEENTH is a national celebration commemorated by millions of Americans that marks the end of slavery in the US.
It became a federal holiday on June 17, 2021, after the Senate and House both voted to establish the day off after President Joe Biden signed the bill into law.
Do you get paid on Juneteenth?
The June 19 celebration also known as Emancipation Day and Freedom Day commemorates the Emancipation Proclamation.
It is observed across the US by all sates with Hawaii, North Dakota, and South Dakota the last to sign a bill approving it as a legal holiday.
The bill that passed the Senate and House makes Juneteenth the 12th federal holiday.
However, it is not recognised as a paid holiday by all states.
What states recognize Juneteenth as a paid holiday?
Currently, a handful of states recognize Juneteenth as a paid day of leave for state employees.
Massachusetts, Texas, New York, Virginia, Maine, Louisiana, Illinois and Washington are the states where state employees get paid on the Juneteenth, as does Washington D.C, according to AP.
New Jersey also gives employees a paid day off, however it lands on the third Friday of June each year, regardless of what day the 19th falls on.
Additionally, some private companies have adopted Juneteenth as a paid day off for employees, while others have officially marked the day in other ways, such as moments of silence.
In June 2021, President Joe Biden officially signed the legislation that marks Juneteenth as a federal holiday.
What is Juneteenth and what’s the meaning behind it?
Juneteenth is a holiday celebrated on June 19 that marks the end of slavery in the US.
The day commemorates June 19, 1865, when slaves in Texas learned of the executive order marking the last day of slavery in the United States.
That day all African-Americans were freed from slavery after Union General Gordon Granger rode to Galveston, Texas, and told the slaves of their emancipation.
Granger read to the crowd: “In accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”
Texas was the first state to make Juneteenth an official paid holiday for state employees.
It is considered the “Black Independence day”, and is celebrated like the Fourth of July with gatherings, picnics, and parties with family and friends.
The National Juneteenth Observance Foundation, an association based in Mississippi, has worked for years to get Juneteenth officiated as a national holiday.
After the death of George Floyd, which sparked racial injustice protests across the country, Jack Dorsey, Twitter’s CEO, announced that Twitter would honor the day as a company holiday.
Dorsey tweeted at the time: “Both Twitter and Square are making #Juneteenth (June 19th) a company holiday in the US, forevermore. A day for celebration, education, and connection.”
“Countries and regions around the world have their own days to celebrate emancipation, and we will do the work to make those dates company holidays everywhere we are present.”