The bill, Minnesota Senate File No. 1849, proposes amendments to the Minnesota Paid Leave Law, specifically Minnesota Statutes 2024, Section 268B.01, to exempt certain agricultural workers from coverage. The key provisions of the bill include:

1. Exempting Certain Agricultural Workers:

   • The bill excludes from "covered employment":
     • Individuals employed by a farmer, family farm, or family farm corporation who:
     • Work in physical labor or farm management, and
       
     • Are employed by a farm that has five or fewer employees, or
       
     • Work for 28 days or fewer per year.
   • These individuals would not be eligible for benefits under Minnesota's paid leave law.

2. Exclusions from "Employee" Definition:

   • Such agricultural workers are also excluded from the statutory definition of "employee", meaning they do not qualify for paid leave benefits.

3. Exclusions from "Employer" Definition:

   • Farmers, family farms, and family farm corporations meeting the above conditions are excluded from the definition of "employer" under the Minnesota Paid Leave law, meaning they are not required to provide paid leave to these workers.

4. Opt-In Option:

   • Farmers or farm corporations that fall under the exemption may choose to opt in voluntarily to provide paid leave coverage for their employees, following procedures set by the Commissioner of Employment.

5. Rulemaking Authority:

   • The Commissioner of Employment is authorized to adopt rules to further clarify and define the application of this amendment.

Purpose

The bill primarily seeks to reduce regulatory burdens on small family farms by exempting them from the Minnesota Paid Leave Law for short-term or small-scale agricultural employees.

If passed, the bill would exclude many temporary or seasonal farmworkers from the state's paid leave benefits, impacting their ability to take medical or family leave with pay.