Most Federal Employees Will Get Friday, June 18 Off for Juneteenth

President Joe Biden is scheduled to sign legislation — the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act — into law today to make Juneteenth (June 19) a new federal holiday.

Juneteenth is a holiday celebrating the emancipation of African-Americans who had been enslaved in the United States. The holiday is already recognized by 48 states and the District of Columbia.

The Senate passed a bill Tuesday under a unanimous consent agreement to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. The House voted 415-14 on Wednesday to send the bill to the president to sign.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) tweeted Thursday morning that most federal employees will observe the new holiday on this Friday, June 18 since June 19 falls on a Saturday this year.

Today @POTUS will sign the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, establishing June 19th as a federal holiday. As the 19th falls on a Saturday, most federal employees will observe the holiday tomorrow, June 18th.

Today @POTUS will sign the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, establishing June 19th as a federal holiday. As the 19th falls on a Saturday, most federal employees will observe the holiday tomorrow, June 18th.

— U.S. Office of Personnel Management (@USOPM) June 17, 2021

UPDATE: At the time of this writing, OPM had not yet provided specific guidance regarding the new federal holiday on their website at: https://www.opm.gov/

Below is a list from OPM of the current federal holidays in 2021 prior to Juneteenth being added.

*This holiday is designated as “Inauguration Day” in section 6103(c) of title 5 of the United States Code, which is the law that specifies holidays for Federal employees. Federal employees in the Washington, DC area are entitled to a holiday on the day a President is inaugurated, January 20 for each fourth year after 1965. Though other institutions such as state and local governments and private businesses may use other names, it is our policy to always refer to holidays by the names designated in the law.

**This holiday is designated as “Washington’s Birthday” in section 6103(a) of title 5 of the United States Code, which is the law that specifies holidays for Federal employees. Though other institutions such as state and local governments and private businesses may use other names, it is our policy to always refer to holidays by the names designated in the law.

***July 4, 2021 (the legal public holiday for Independence Day), falls on a Sunday. For most Federal employees, Monday, July 5, will be treated as a holiday for pay and leave purposes. (See 5 U.S.C. 6103(b).)

****December 25, 2021 (the legal public holiday for Christmas Day), falls on a Saturday. For most Federal employees, Friday, December 24, will be treated as a holiday for pay and leave purposes. (See section 3(a) of Executive order 11582, February 11, 1971.)