Juneteenth replaces Christmas Eve as paid holiday at Emory Healthcare

Emory Healthcare plans to replace its company holiday on Christmas Eve with Juneteenth in the name of “equity,” requiring workers to take paid time off or show up for work rather than observe one of the most cherished Christian holidays of the year.

Emory Healthcare CEO Joon S. Lee said in a memo to employees that Juneteenth, which falls on June 19, would become “an EHC observed holiday,” but that Georgia’s largest hospital network would remove Christmas Eve to keep the number of annual paid holidays to nine.

“We hope this will allow more opportunities for celebration, reflection and education,” Mr. Lee said in the Aug. 31 memo posted online.

Mr. Lee and the executive leadership team made the change after “listening to your feedback,” citing the company’s commitment to “diversity, equity and inclusion.”

The change will take effect next year, meaning that Christmas Eve 2023 will still be a paid company holiday.

Companies have come under pressure to make Juneteenth a paid day off after President Biden declared it a federal holiday in 2021, but Emory’s decision frustrated those who said observing Juneteenth shouldn’t require dropping Christmas Eve.

“I don’t understand why they can’t do both?” NAACP DeKalb County President Edwina Clanton told Atlanta News First.

She and others raised concerns that nixing Christmas Eve could result in a backlash against Juneteenth, which celebrates the end of slavery in the United States.

“I’m sure it will put anger in some hearts,” Ms. Clanton said. “Why do we have to do this? Why can’t we have our old holidays off? Some more consideration, even asking the employees which days you want to give up, that may have worked better.”

Also pushing back was Georgia-based radio host Erick Erickson, who cast doubt on whether Emory employees actually favored such a change.

“Exactly who did Emory listen to?” tweeted Mr. Erickson. “I assure you most of the black women there will now have to work on Christmas Eve and then go home to do the Christmas cooking. I know a lot of them. My wife has been going there for 7 years. Good grief.”

Mr. Lee said that other Atlanta-based healthcare systems average six paid days off, and that tacking on an additional holiday would have hurt patient care.

“For each observed holiday, our clinics and business offices close, which means our patients are unable to make clinic appointments for those days,” he said. “To minimize impact to patient care, we will not be adding another paid holiday to our calendar.”

Wow. Emory Healthcare in Georgia has removed Christmas Eve from paid holidays and replaced it with Juneteenth. This is “equity” to them. Employees now have to use time off to spend Christmas Eve with their families. Full story: https://t.co/JI9gyJNWN4 pic.twitter.com/eerLjx5WKq

— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) September 7, 2023

One Emory Healthcare provider, who spoke to Atlanta News First on condition of anonymity, said that in general, “everyone at Emory is pretty frustrated right now.”

“You can’t replace one for the other,” the provider said. “It’s completely inappropriate. It’s essentially pitting a Christian holiday against something that’s to be celebratory for everyone — but specifically for our Black colleagues.”

Janet Christenbury, Emory director of media relations, told Becker’s Hospital Review that the system seeks to support “our diverse communities.”

“In response to requests from our care team members over the past few years, we are pleased to add Juneteenth to the holidays we recognize,” Ms. Christenbury said. “At Emory Healthcare, we strive to support our employees and our diverse communities in recognizing holidays that are meaningful and important to them.”

The Emory Healthcare network includes 11 hospitals, the Emory Clinic, and more than 425 provider locations, according to the EHC website. The system partners with Emory University in Atlanta.

“Emory is one of the largest private employers in Atlanta, with more than 24,000 employees,” said the website. “We work to improve the quality of life throughout Georgia through partnerships with Grady Memorial Hospital, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Georgia Institute of Technology, and other organizations.”