The Minnesota House is set to vote today on two workplace mandate bills.
One bill (HF 5) would mandate up to 24 weeks of paid leave, creates a new 0.6% payroll tax on employers in addition to a new state bureaucracy to process claims. This mandate applies to all employers, regardless of size. If an employer already offers a paid time off benefit, it doesn’t qualify under this mandate. The employer must provide this state mandated leave.
Another bill, HF 11, is modeled after an ordinance in Minneapolis and requires employers to offer at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. The bill does not exempt small businesses. However, there are carve-outs for collective bargaining agreements and the construction industry. Employers face much greater liability, stricter recordkeeping requirements and stiff penalties for violations (penalty for first violation is up to $10,000).
