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This Monday is Juneteenth, which marks the third anniversary of the federal recognition of the holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in Confederate states.
While President Biden formally recognized Juneteenth as a federal holiday, this doesn’t guarantee a day of paid time off for everyone.
This year, 28 states will legally recognize Juneteenth as a public holiday, according to the Pew Research Center. This means state works will have a paid day off.
By the time President Biden declared Juneteenth a federal holiday, almost all states had voted independently to commemorate Juneteenth as a day of observance. As compared to public holidays, in which all state employees have the day off and banks close, days of observance like Earth Day or Flag Day are recognized but not given off.
See more below about when states first recognized the holiday.When did states commemorate Juneteenth?Is Juneteenth a state holiday? Here’s where it’s officially recognized
The governors of West Virginia and Alabama have authorized Juneteenth as a state holiday through proclamation, but it will not be considered a permanent holiday unless state legislatures pass bills into law.
