We receive questions about holidays from our business clients all the time. The next federal holiday is Juneteenth. This year, it is celebrated on June 20, 2022 for employment purposes. Juneteenth celebrates when slaves were freed, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect. Recognition of Juneteenth gained traction after the police killing of George Floyd in 2020. But after an initial burst of action, the movement to have it recognized as an official state holiday has largely stalled. Tennessee’s bill to make Juneteenth a state holiday has yet to be enacted. In 2021, Governor Lee signed a bill designating Juneteenth a day of special observance, but not a legal state holiday. A legislative fiscal note estimates that the new holiday would cost the State of Tennessee $692,000 annually to compensate state employees. We will keep you updated if Tennessee enacts the legislation to make Juneteenth a legal state holiday. It is a federal holiday that will be celebrated on June 20, 2022. As always, you can contact Kelli at kelli@khalawgroup.com or at (615) 567-7300. 
