This Minnesota House bill (H.F. No. 1432), introduced by Representative Gordon, proposes a pilot program to develop and implement an experiential training regime for state managerial employees. The goal is to ensure that managers gain a deeper understanding of the work performed by the employees they supervise by periodically working shifts in those positions.

Key Provisions:

1. Experiential Training Regime Defined:
   Managers will be trained to perform the duties of the employees they oversee, ensuring they maintain firsthand knowledge of those roles.

2. Procurement of Expert Advice:

   • The Commissioner of Management and Budget (MMB) must contract with a private business consulting service specializing in customer service improvement through experiential training.
   • The commissioner is not required to prove that existing staff cannot perform the work before hiring a contractor.

3. Pilot Programs Established:

   • The MMB is required to implement pilot programs in three state agencies:
     1. Department of Corrections – for managerial positions overseeing correctional guards.
     2. Department of Human Services – for managerial positions overseeing group home employees.
     3. Department of Transportation – for managerial positions overseeing road and bridge construction workers.
   • Commissioners from the agencies must assist in the implementation.

4. Consulting Service Responsibilities:
   The hired consulting service must:

   • Develop a training regime, including materials and protocols.
   • Plan implementation for the pilot programs.
   • Identify other managerial positions where experiential training could be beneficial.
   • Propose future training expansions.
   • Report results of the pilot projects to the Commissioner of Management and Budget and legislative committees.

5. Pilot Project Timeline:

   • Completion by: July 1, 2026
     
   • Reports submitted by: August 1, 2026
     
   • State agencies must implement training plans by: January 1, 2027
     
   • Important Note: Managers working shifts in subordinate roles must not reduce available shifts for employees.

6. Funding Appropriation:

   • The bill appropriates funds from the General Fund in fiscal year 2026 for the Commissioner of Management and Budget to implement the contract.

Overall Purpose:

This bill aims to improve managerial effectiveness in state agencies by requiring managers to engage directly with the work their subordinates perform. The program is being tested in select agencies and, if successful, could be expanded to other managerial roles within the state government.