Warrant Article Title:
BYLAW AMENDMENT/ADDING JUNETEENTH INDEPENDENCE DAY TO HOLIDAYS

Warrant Article Text:
To see if the Town will vote to amend Title I, Article 6: Classification and Compensation Plans and Human Resource Bylaw, Section 16, Holidays, to include Juneteenth Independence Day in the list of holidays, in accordance with Clause Eighteenth of Section 7 of Chapter 4, and Sections 13 and 16 of Chapter 136, of the General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as amended by the bill signed by Governor Charlie Baker on July 24, 2020; or take any action related thereto.

Requested by:
(Inserted by the Select Board at the request of the Arlington Human Rights Commission)

Report Excerpt:

This Article has also been inserted at the request of the Arlington Human Rights Commission for the purpose of recognize a Massachusetts state holiday – Juneteenth Independence Day – a celebration of the anniversary of June 19, 1865, when African-Americans in Galveston, Texas first learned of the Emancipation Proclamation, passed more than two years earlier. The Commonwealth originally recognized Juneteenth in 2007 as set forth in G.L. c. 6 sec. 15BBBBB, but on a Sunday. In 2020, Massachusetts’ recognition of the holiday was amended so that it would be observed on the 19th of June and thus created a new observed holiday.

 

The Board thus recommends positive action on this article to join the State in commemorating the importance of Juneteenth. As a technical matter, it should be noted that the Town is still working on how the observance of Juneteenth will affect various Town employees and collective bargaining units.

 

*The Finance Committee supports the favorable action recommendation of the Select Board (16-2-1) 

Vote Language:

That Title I, Article 6, Section 16 (“Holidays”) of the Town Bylaws is hereby amended to add a new holiday “Juneteenth Independence Day” so as to read as follows:

 

Section 16. Holidays

 

(ART. 44, ATM –06/16/97) (ART. 17, ATM – 05/30/07) 

 

In order to qualify for holiday credit, a regular employee shall have worked on the last regularly scheduled work day prior to, and the next regularly scheduled work day following such holiday, unless it is an absence for which compensation is payable as provided under this by-law. 

 

The following days in each year shall be considered as holiday credits:

 

New Year's Day Labor Day

Martin Luther King Day Columbus Day

Washington's Birthday Veterans' Day

Patriot's Day Thanksgiving Day

Memorial Day Christmas

Juneteenth Independence Day Christmas Eve Day if same falls on a

Independence Day Monday Through Friday

 

Whenever a holiday falls on Saturday, another working day off with pay shall be arranged at the discretion of the department head. Good Friday shall be considered as half day holiday credit. The day following Thanksgiving shall be treated as a holiday unless an employee is scheduled to work same by the department head in which event the employee will be granted another day off at the discretion of the department head.

 

(5 – 0)

Additional Materials:

Select Board Report

Finance Committee Report