The bill proposes amendments to Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 268B.01, to exempt certain agricultural workers from the Minnesota Paid Leave Law.

Key Provisions:

1. Exemptions for Agricultural Workers:

   • Individuals employed by a farmer, family farm, or family farm corporation to provide physical labor or farm management are exempt if the farm:
     • Employs five or fewer employees, or
       
     • Hires the worker for 28 days or fewer per year.

2. Covered Employment Definition Changes:

   • Excludes agricultural workers who meet the criteria mentioned above from being considered under covered employment.

3. Employee Definition Modification:

   • Specifies that farm workers fitting the exemption criteria are not considered employees under the Minnesota Paid Leave Law.

4. Employer Definition Modification:

   • Defines that a farmer, family farm, or farm corporation employing five or fewer workers or hiring a worker for 28 days or fewer annually is not considered an employer under the law.

5. Opt-In Provision:

   • Farms meeting the exemption criteria may choose to opt in to the Minnesota Paid Leave program through a procedure determined by the commissioner.

6. Rulemaking Authority:

   • Grants the commissioner the ability to adopt rules further defining covered employment and setting additional criteria if necessary.

Impact of the Bill:

• If enacted, small family farms and farmers employing a limited number of seasonal workers would not be required to provide paid leave under Minnesota's Paid Leave Law.
• Provides flexibility for small-scale agricultural operations while allowing them to voluntarily opt into the program.

Legislative Status:

• The bill was introduced in the Ninety-Fourth Session of the Minnesota House of Representatives on February 26, 2025, and referred to the Committee on Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy.

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