Paid Sick and Safe Time Leave in Minnesota

Paid Sick & Safe Time Leave in Minnesota

Effective January 1, 2024, employers with at least one employee in Minnesota must allow in-state employees to accrue one paid sick and safe time leave (“SST”) hour for every 30 hours worked up to a maximum of 48 hours in the first year of employment, and up to 80 hours in the second and subsequent years of employment. The employer can also choose to frontload the hours at the start of each year instead of using the accrual method. The leave can only be used for specified sick or safety issues described in the law. There is no waiting period before an employee can use accrued hours, but rather an employee is not covered by the law unless he/she has worked at least 80 hours for the employer in a year in Minnesota. Unused hours must be carried over from year-to-year and do not need to be paid out upon the end of employment (though they must be reinstated if the employee is rehired within 180 days of separation). The paystub must include the total number of SST hours accrued and the total number of SST hours used during the pay period. A notice of rights (the State will create a model notice employers can use) must be provided to employees by (a) posting a copy at the worksite, (b) providing each employee a copy directly, or (c) posting it in a conspicuous place on an online platform through which the employees perform work. Further, if there is an employee handbook, then the notice of rights must be included in the handbook. The SST law was part of a larger omnibus bill and does not contain an exemption for the motion picture industry. The bill is available here (please see Articles 12 and 13) and preliminary FAQs are available here.