Lawmakers Hear Testimony on Impacts of Paid Leave Programs
House Republicans held an informational hearing on the effects of earned sick and safe time and Minnesota Paid Leave laws.
On Jan. 16, House Republican members of the Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee held an informational hearing to examine the effects of Minnesota’s the earned sick and safe time (ESST) and paid leave programs on employers.
Representatives from the League of Minnesota Cities, the Association of Minnesota Counties, and the Minnesota Association of Townships testified on behalf of public employers, highlighting the challenges local governments face under these mandates. They noted that employers are struggling to align existing leave policies with the new ESST requirements while also navigating uncertainty around accessing the private plan under the Minnesota Paid Leave program.
To help address these challenges, city, county, and township representatives advocated for legislative changes. They proposed revisions to the ESST law to better accommodate more generous employer-provided leave policies and to respect previously bargained sick leave agreements. Additionally, they called for exempting elected officials from the Minnesota Paid Leave program similar to the exemption granted under ESST in 2024.
No legislation was under consideration during the hearing and no official action was taken.
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