states offering – Juneteenth falls on Friday, June 19. Federal offices are closed, but whether state workers get a paid day off depends on each state—33 states and Washington, DC include Juneteenth as a state holiday.
For a lot of workers, Friday’s calendar decision won’t come from Washington—it will come from a state’s payroll.
Juneteenth is Friday, June 19, marking the day when the last Black slaves of the Confederacy were ordered free after Union troops arrived. Federal offices are closed for the holiday, but states can still decide whether Juneteenth becomes a paid day off for their own workers.
This year, 33 states and Washington, DC honor Juneteenth as a state holiday, creating a patchwork of paid time across the country. For other states, the holiday may be observed publicly without the same workplace benefit.
Juneteenth commemorates the full and complete enactment of the Emancipation Proclamation. President Abraham Lincoln issued the proclamation to free enslaved African Americans in secessionist states on Jan. 1, 1863, but enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, would not learn of their freedom until two years later. On June 19, 1865, Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger informed the community of Galveston of Lincoln’s proclamation—years after enslaved people were officially emancipated on paper. and only after enslavers failed to communicate the order until Union troops arrived to enforce it.
Juneteenth was officially recognized as a federal holiday in 2021, signed into law by former President Joe Biden.
The result for Friday is practical for employees: in states that treat Juneteenth as a paid state holiday, workers typically get the day off.
Alabama. Alaska. Colorado. Connecticut. Delaware. Georgia. Idaho. Illinois. Kansas. Kentucky. Louisiana. Maine. Maryland. Massachusetts. Michigan. Minnesota. Missouri. Nebraska. Nevada. New Jersey. New Mexico. New York. Ohio. Oregon. Pennsylvania. Rhode Island. South Dakota. Tennessee. Texas. Utah. Vermont. Virginia. Washington. and Washington. DC all offer a paid day off for Juneteenth.
In contrast, states that do not offer a paid day off for Juneteenth are: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
What looks like a holiday on the nation’s calendar becomes something different once it reaches the workplace—especially for state employees whose schedules and paychecks are tied to state rules. With federal offices closed and state decisions varying. Friday’s time off will depend heavily on what state a worker calls home.
The story of Juneteenth began with delays in enforcement and communication, and this year’s job impact follows a different but familiar theme: the timing of freedom—and now, the timing of a paid day—can hinge on who has the authority to declare it.
Juneteenth paid day off state holiday state workers Friday June 19 Emancipation Proclamation Gordon Granger Abraham Lincoln Joe Biden