Purpose of the Bill

The goal of the bill is to provide additional unemployment insurance benefits to workers laid off from the iron ore mining industry in Minnesota. This includes both direct employees and those indirectly affected due to the industry's economic downturn.

Main Provisions

• Eligibility for Additional Benefits: To qualify, a worker must have been laid off after May 19, 2025, from an iron ore mining company or a business supplying goods or services to such a company.
• Benefit Period: Eligible workers can receive these benefits for weeks up through May 30, 2026.
• Benefit Calculation:
  • The weekly benefit amount for additional benefits is consistent with what the worker would receive in regular unemployment benefits.
  • A maximum of 26 weeks of payments is allowed under this additional benefits program.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Additional Benefits After Exhaustion: Workers who have exhausted their regular unemployment benefits and hold 50% or more of their wage credits from eligible employers can access these extra benefits.
• Account Transition: If a worker becomes eligible for a new regular unemployment benefit account after receiving additional benefits, they will need to transition to the new account if it offers equal or greater weekly benefits.
• Impact on Employers: These additional unemployment benefits will not affect future unemployment tax rates for employers that are taxed or reimbursed, except those directly involved in the iron ore mining sector.
• Exclusion for Trade Readjustment Benefits Recipients: Workers who are eligible for federal Trade Readjustment Allowance benefits cannot receive these additional state-level unemployment benefits.

Relevant Terms

iron ore mining, unemployment insurance, additional benefits, wage credits, Minnesota unemployment insurance trust fund, maximum unemployment benefits, Trade Readjustment Allowance benefits.