Target Makes Juneteenth A Company Holiday

In a press release, Target has announced that Juneteenth will be a corporate holiday going forward.

Juneteenth, or June 19th, is the commemoration of the day that slavery ended following the Civil War's conclusion. It's been celebrated every year since 1865. Target announced that going forward, the day will be considered a company holiday and employees will either have the day off or get time-and-a-half pay. On this day, Targets Minneapolis headquarters will be closed as well.

Juneteenth takes on additional significance in this moment. Moving now to recognize it on an annual basis, as a day to celebrate, further educate ourselves or connect with our communities  is one more important action Target can take as a company to help the country live up to the ideal of moving forward in a new way.

Target has also pledged to give $10 million for social justice movements in the Twin Cities and also 100,000 pro-bono consulting for BIPOC-owned small businesses.

We recognize that the racial trauma the country is experiencing now is not new, but throughout recent weeks there has been a sense that this time is, and has to be, different. - Target CEO Brian Cornell

 

In 2018, Target employed 20 percent racial/ethnical minorities at the executive and senior levels while 50 percent at the sales level.