County employees will be getting an additional holiday this year.
The Union County Commissioners recently adopted legislation to make Juneteenth a holiday for county employees.
Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in confederate states. On June 19, 1865, two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, Maj. General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, announcing the end of slavery in the U.S.
On June 17, President Joe Biden declared Juneteenth a federal holiday. Like many other federal holidays, when it lands on a weekend it is observed on the nearest weekday.
By Ohio Revised Code, Biden’s declaration automatically established it as a holiday in Ohio also. The ORC also mandates that all state holidays are also a holiday for county employees.
County Commissioner Chris Schmenk said the board did not have a plan to approach the holiday because the matter “really wasn’t something that was on our radar, honestly, probably until the evening after the President’s executive order.”
A week after the federal and state action, the board of county commissioners passed a resolution, noting that it “wishes to recognize and commemorate this newly created holiday.”
The matter is not as simple for Marysville officials.
“The City of Marysville fully recognizes the importance of this new holiday, but we cannot observe it presently,” said Brian Dostanko, Marysville human resources director. He explained that any change in city observed holidays must be approved through council.
“That process takes time,” Dostanko said.
He added that the city “will soon decide as to how to approach Juneteenth in the future.”
Because the county resolution was passed after the actual date of Juneteenth, June 19, the commissioners recommended making the paid day off a “floating holiday” for employees.
A floating holiday is a paid day off from work, given as a substitute for a public holiday and typically taken on a day chosen by the employee.
According to the legislation, employees must use the holiday before Dec. 31.
“A floating holiday will allow the county commissioners’ office to remain open while still honoring and commemorating Juneteenth,” according to the legislation.
Schmenk said that because office holders are elected independently, they can handle the holiday how they choose. She said the commissioners gave their employees a floating holiday and recommended other officers do the same.
“Some offices chose to honor it and celebrate it right away, others scheduled it at a later date for the entire office and others did choose to use a floating holiday,” Schmenk said.
She said the commissioners had a conversation and decided that in the future, the county will likely follow the state’s lead, observing the day on the same day as the state.
The commissioner said the board felt that would be “helpful when you want to help the community plan to honor the meaning of the day.”
Additionally, Schmenk said that approach will allow the commissioners to partner with other organizations “to have a ceremony and provide some educational opportunities.”
Schmenk said education is important because she, like many in the Midwest, had not ever heard of the holiday until a couple years ago.
“It has been a couple years of awakening for our country and many people, about diversity and inclusion,” Schmenk said.
She added that, “I, personally, have been thinking a lot about how we keep our county a welcoming community as we continue to grow. I think it is important for our county to always be growing and learning.”
In addition to the floating Juneteenth holiday, county employees have New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The city observes 11 total holidays.