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BRAINERD 鈥� In Minnesota, there has been no requirement for employers to provide paid time off for employees.

In 2024, that will change.

As part of a series of labor-related laws passed this past year by the state Legislature, starting Jan. 1, 2024, every Minnesota employer must provide at least 48 hours of paid annual leave to most employees. The regulation applies to all staff members 鈥� whether full time, part time, seasonal, short term or temporary 鈥� who work at least 80 hours annually for the employer.

Employees can earn at least one hour of paid time off for every 30 hours worked toward a minimum cap of 48 hours earned paid time off each year, unless the employer agrees to a higher cap.

Contributed

The new law, dubbed 鈥渆arned sick and safe time,鈥� was the subject of an informational webinar for Brainerd lakes area employers on Thursday, Nov. 2. The webinar was hosted by the chambers of commerce in Brainerd, Pequot Lakes, Crosslake, Nisswa and Cuyuna Lakes, as well as the Lakes Area Human Resources Association.

鈥淲e want to bring you the good information that you need, the timely information that you need to comply,鈥� said Matt Kilian, Brainerd Lakes Chamber of Commerce president. 鈥淲hile this new program will be welcome news to many, it will present challenges to small businesses like restaurants, retailers and resorts who depend on part-time employees and often find themselves short-staffed.

鈥淚鈥檇 strongly encourage everyone to keep open lines of communication with their employer. Most are more than willing to work with someone who has a health issue or family situation, especially when they know about it in advance," he said. They appreciate their teams and want to help.鈥�

Leading Thursday's discussion was Dave Skovholt with the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. Skovholt, who has presented on all changing labor laws to chambers of commerce across the state, noted the three affecting the most employers are earned sick and safe time, pregnancy accommodations, and paid and unpaid family leave.

鈥淭here was such a significant amount of change that it's hard to kind of track at all,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hose do impact all employers across the state. Regardless of industry or size, those are going to be all-industry changes.鈥�

Specific to earned sick and safe time, Skovholt said the law will allow employees to take time off for their own or their family member's mental or physical illness, when an employee or employee's family member is a victim in a violent crime, or when weather or a public emergency causes closure of a family member's school or care facility.

Contributed / Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry

鈥淚t does help move us as a state in a more preventative care mode and reduce illnesses from spreading in workplaces and schools and those types of settings,鈥� Skovholt said. 鈥淎nd it is something that is going to be across the board in terms of all employers.鈥�

If an employer鈥檚 current paid time off system matches the requirements of the earned sick and safe time law, the employer would not be required to offer more time off.

Skovholt said these types of programs 鈥� which are already in use in 14 states and in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth and Bloomington 鈥� can increase the ability to recruit and retain employees.

鈥淪o hopefully that鈥檚 something that is a benefit for you,鈥� he told the audience.

Visit the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry鈥檚 website at for and on the new law.