Purpose of the Bill

The bill aims to modify the existing Minnesota Paid Leave Law, making adjustments to the definitions and criteria concerning covered employment, family members, and seasonal employees. It also introduces new administrative procedures and calculations related to paid leave benefits.

Main Provisions

• Covered Employment: The bill clarifies what constitutes covered employment, focusing on place and duration of employment. It specifies that individuals working primarily in Minnesota, or who are Minnesota residents performing some work in the state, fall under this category, with exceptions for self-employed individuals, independent contractors, and certain unionized workers. Employers can opt into coverage following certain procedures.

• Family Member Definition: The definition of a family member is expanded to include domestic relationships establishing reliance for care.

• Seasonal Employees: Changes the criteria for what qualifies as a seasonal employee, adjusting employment duration and specifying the hospitality industry under strict conditions with application procedures for certification.

• Private Administration: Allows for contracting private companies to handle administrative duties related to benefit processing, eligibility, and tax withholding.

• Benefit Calculations: Updates the formula for calculating weekly benefit amounts based on varying percentages of the state’s average weekly wage and addresses how these benefits are adjusted for individuals who change employers or take leave intermittently.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Extension of the definition of "covered employment" to include employees working in multiple states primarily residing in Minnesota.
• Inclusion of more personal relationships in the definition of family members.
• Extending the period a person can work as a seasonal employee from 150 to 180 days.
• Introduction of private administration for managing paid leave benefits through third-party companies.
• Detailed updates to how weekly benefits are calculated based on wage differences related to the state average.

Relevant Terms

Minnesota Paid Leave Law, covered employment, family member, seasonal employee, private administration, benefit calculations, self-employed individuals, independent contractors, domestic partner, in loco parentis, hospitality industry, benefit application processing, intermittent leave.