June 22, 2021 | Category: Employment, HR, News

Recently President Biden signed bipartisan legislation that made Juneteenth (June 19th) a federal holiday. Juneteenth is the first new federal holiday in nearly 40 years. It marks the day news of emancipation reached the last remaining slaves in Texas — nearly two months after the end of the Civil War and two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Lincoln.

The new holiday went into effect immediately. That left very little time for employers to decide what to do. For some, it meant a last-minute day off from work. However, for many the new federal holiday was just another work day.

But aren’t employees required to get holidays off?

Both the federal government and Nevada have designated certain days as holidays (see chart below). However, that doesn’t mean employees are entitled to a day off for those holidays. That is generally determined by company policy.

Federal Holidays

  • New Year’s Day (January 1)
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day (3rd Monday in January)
  • President’s Day (3rd Monday in February)
  • Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
  • Juneteenth (June 19)
  • Independence Day (July 4)
  • Labor Day (1st Monday in September)
  • Columbus Day (2nd Monday in October)
  • Veterans’ Day (November 11)
  • Thanksgiving Day (4th Thursday in November)
  • Christmas Day (December 25)

Nevada Holidays

  • New Year’s Day (January 1)
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day (3rd Monday in January)
  • President’s Day (3rd Monday in February)
  • Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
  • Independence Day (July 4)
  • Labor Day (1st Monday in September)
  • Nevada Day (last Friday in October)
  • Veterans’ Day (November 11)
  • Thanksgiving Day (4th Thursday in November)
  • Family Day (day after Thanksgiving)
  • Christmas Day (December 25)

Federal law does not require private employers to provide employees with time off — paid or unpaid — for any holiday. The law in Nevada is the same. The decision to provide time off on a holiday is left up to the employer. Many employers choose to provide for some time off for holidays throughout the year. Often employers who provide time off for holidays provide that time off paid, but there is no requirement that they do so.

Do employees get paid a premium for working a holiday?

Many employees in Nevada work on holidays, including Juneteenth this year. While it is not uncommon for employees to be paid additional compensation for working on a holiday, there is no requirement in state or federal law for employers to provide additional pay. Employees can be paid their normal rate of pay for time worked on a holiday.

Holidays continue to be a wage and hour issue that generate questions for employers. NAE is here to help. Members can reach out to our team of experienced HR and legal professionals for assistance with questions on this and other employment-related issues. Not a member yet? Join NAE today!