When does the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act Go Into Effect?

The bill was signed into law by President Joe Biden late Thursday afternoon on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. However, it is important to note that the exact wording of the bill does not set aside a specific date to honor Juneteenth. Therefore, the federal government has not outlined that Juneteenth does in fact take place on June 19. Read the full act here.

Will I get off from work?

Possibly. If you are a federal employee in the nation's capital, you are probably reading this from home on your day off. In a tweet posted on June 17, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management noted that "most" federal employees would be given the day off to "observe" the holiday on June 18 because Juneteenth falls on a Saturday this year. However, city and state employees may be asked to work. For example, states like Texas, New York, Virginia and Washington observe Juneteenth as a paid holiday, but states like Georgia do not. Lastly, individuals who work for private companies should check their employer's policy on Juneteenth. Similar to federal and state employers, some private companies like Target, Starbucks and MailChimp observe the holiday while others do not.

Will I get off from school?

Maybe. Much like employers, some schools will be open and some schools will be closed. It is a city-by-city decision. For example, Washington, D.C. Public Schools will be closed this year and they will be closed in the years to come as well. Meanwhile, Baltimore City Public Schools will remain open and it does not appear that they plan on closing in the coming years because it would add an extra day to the academic calendar. Somehow, those same concerns do not apply to Columbus Day. Elsewhere, New York City Public Schools will remain open this year, but the city plans to observe the holiday beginning next year.

Will banks be closed?

This is a tough question to answer this year because the Federal Reserve Board has not been direct in its willingness, or lack thereof, to honor the holiday. This year, the Federal Reserve Board has said that its Washington, D.C. offices will be closed while its financial services continue to operate. Adding to the confusion, the U.S. Central Bank has indicated that it will “determine how to adjust our schedule to reflect the new federal holiday in the years to come.” At a state and local level, banks typically close on federal holidays, but they are not required by law to do so. This could create confusion for citizens as individuals states like Georgia leave individual institutions to do as they please.

“A number of banks that operate in Georgia will be closing early Friday and on Saturday in observance of the new Juneteenth federal holiday,” Georgia Bankers Association CEO Joe Brannen said.

“Some may choose to remain open this year because of short notice of the new federal holiday in order to serve customers who get paid on Friday, for example.”

Will mail still be received?

The short answer is yes. However, this answer could change in years to come. President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act two days before the holiday. As a result, many employers did not have time to plan in advance. The United States Postal Service will not observe Juneteenth this year, but it will consider giving employees the day off in the near future.

“Unfortunately, it is not possible to cease the operations of the Postal Service to accommodate an observance over the next 24-48 hours. We are part of the nation’s critical infrastructure and our customers are relying on us to deliver our essential services," the USPS stated.

"Closing down our operations without providing appropriate time would lead to operational disruptions and be a disservice to our customers and those who rely upon us.”

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