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SF2572 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))

Making employer participation in earned sick and safe time benefits voluntary provision

Related bill: HF1542

AI Generated Summary

Purpose of the Bill

This bill aims to modify the rules regarding employer participation in providing "earned sick and safe time" benefits to employees in Minnesota. It seeks to make the participation of employers in these benefits optional rather than mandatory.

Main Provisions

  • Employee Definition: The bill updates the definition of an employee to include those who are expected to work at least 80 hours a year for a given employer in Minnesota. However, participation in the benefits program will be at the discretion of the employer, meaning they can choose which employees may receive the benefits.

  • Exclusions: The bill specifies several categories of workers who are not considered employees for the purposes of this benefit program. These include independent contractors, volunteer or paid on-call firefighters, volunteer ambulance attendants, elected officials or those appointed to vacant elective offices, and farm laborers who work 28 days or less per year.

  • Employer Definition: This section clarifies that employers, including corporations, partnerships, non-profits, and various government entities, have the option to provide these benefits. It also details situations involving staffing agencies and leasing companies, where the agency is typically the employer.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

  • Optional Participation: Previously, employers might have been required to provide sick and safe time benefits to all eligible employees. Under this bill, participation is now explicitly stated as permissive, allowing employers to decide which employees, if any, will receive these benefits.

  • Clarification of Roles: The bill refines which entities and individuals are characterized as employers or employees concerning the benefit program, helping ensure clarity on who is included or excluded under this regulation.

Relevant Terms

  • Earned sick and safe time
  • Employee
  • Employer
  • Independent contractor
  • Volunteer firefighter
  • Elected official
  • Farm laborer
  • Staffing agency

Bill text versions

Actions

DateChamberWhereTypeNameCommittee Name
March 16, 2025SenateFloorActionIntroduction and first reading
March 16, 2025SenateFloorActionReferred toLabor

Citations

 
[
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill references the definition of a volunteer ambulance attendant under section 144E.001, subdivision 15.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "144E.001",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 15"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill references the definition of ambulance service personnel under section 144E.001, subdivision 3a.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "144E.001",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 3a"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill references the taxpaying employer definition under section 268.046, subdivision 1.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "268.046",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 1"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill references the definition of an individual provider under section 256B.0711, subdivision 1, paragraph d.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "256B.0711",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 1 paragraph d"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill references the definition of a participant under section 256B.0711, subdivision 1, paragraph e.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "256B.0711",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 1 paragraph e"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill references the definition of a participant's representative under section 256B.0711, subdivision 1, paragraph f.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "256B.0711",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 1 paragraph f"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill references employee status under section 177.50.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "177.50",
    "subdivision": ""
  }
]

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