On February 3, 2023, Governor Walz signed a bill establishing Juneteenth as a state-recognized holiday.  This comes after several years of discussion, and the state already agreeing to add the holiday into its collective bargaining agreements with employee bargaining unit.

The bill will not go into effect until August 1, 2023, so holiday and vacation schedules for non-state employers who have not recognized Juneteenth as a holiday yet will not be required to shut down for the holiday in 2023.

Minn. Stat. §645.44, subd. 5 states, “No public business shall be transacted on any holiday, except in cases of necessity and except in cases of public business transacted by the legislature, nor shall any civil process be served thereon.”

What this means is that public entities cannot conduct business on June 19^th, except for necessary services, such as police, corrections, and any natural disaster management services.  Employers who have already agreed to make the day a holiday in personnel policies or collective bargaining agreements should already be prepared.

However, those entities who have not included the day in their list of holidays need to begin planning for how the day will be treated, what employees will do on days when their employer is closed, and whether those employees will be compensated for their time when public business is not to be conducted.  If employers intend to treat the day as a paid holiday, negotiations with employer representatives will need to take place.

If you, or your organization, are in need of assistance in planning for an additional holiday in 2024, reach out to the professionals at Wiley Reber Law, for negotiations and leave management advice that works.