Juneteenth: 5 ways employers can recognize the newest national holiday
The move is a substantive step forward but poses a challenge for companies: With the holiday written into law a mere two days before its inaugural instance, giving staff a sudden day off is fraught with logistical challenges. How do businesses recognize Juneteenth in a way that shows substantive support both now and in the future? What is Juneteenth? A portmanteau of the words “June” and “Nineteenth”, Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas to announce the abolishment of slavery in the state under President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. Also called Jubilee Day, Black Independence Day and Emancipation Day, Juneteenth is regularly celebrated across the United States but until Biden’s announcement was only a paid holiday in eight states including Massachusetts, New York, and Washington. Five ways for employers to offer substantive support While it’s important for employers to recognize the newest federal holiday, it’s al