Purpose

This bill changes how wages are set for staff who work in family residential services by reenacting and updating the base wage index. It would modify Minnesota Statutes to determine wage levels for various job categories by tying them to the median wages of specific occupations (SOC codes) and, for some positions, to the Minnesota minimum wage for large employers. The aim is to establish explicit wage calculations for many residential and related service roles, with different rates and dates for when the new wage formulas take effect.

Main Provisions

• Reenacts the base wage index calculations for supervisory and direct care staff working in family residential services, and updates how those wages are determined.
• Supervisory and related professional roles:
  • Supervisory staff: 100 percent of the median wage for community and social services specialist (SOC code 211099), with an exception for the supervisor of positive supports roles (professional, analyst, and specialist) who use the median wage for clinical counseling and school psychologist (SOC code 193031).
  • Registered nurse staff: 100 percent of the median wage for registered nurses (SOC code 291141).
  • Licensed practical nurse staff: 100 percent of the median wage for licensed practical nurses (SOC code 292061).
• Residential asleepovernight staff:
  • Until a future date, wage base uses the Minnesota minimum wage for large employers.
  • Starting later (January 1, 2027 or upon federal approval, whichever is later), for residential asleepovernight staff in family residential services, the base wage index shifts to a target of 36 percent of the Minnesota minimum wage for large employers.
• Residential direct care staff:
  • The wage index uses a combination of fractions of median wages across several related occupations (home health/personal care aide, nursing assistant, social and human services aide, and psychiatric technician) with specific percentages for calculating the total.
• Other service categories (with specified fractions of median wages or minimum wage):
  • Adult day services staff: 70% of the nursing assistant median wage and 30% of the home health/personal care aide median wage.
  • Day support services staff and prevocational services staff: specific fractions (e.g., 20% of certain median wages and a portion of another category) to determine the wage index.
  • Positive supports roles (analyst, professional, and specialist): 100% of the median wage for the relevant related occupations (e.g., substance abuse, mental health counselor; clinical counseling and school psychologist; psychiatric technicians).
  • Individualized home supports with family training and with training services: combinations of percentages of median wages for various roles (e.g., nursing aide, community social service specialist, social and human services aide, psychiatric technician).
  • Employment-related services (support, exploration, development): half of the median wage for specified counselor and education guidance roles, plus half of the median wage for community and social services specialist.
  • Individualized home supports without training: 50% of the median wage for home health and personal care aide and 50% for nursing assistant.
• Night supervision:
  • Night supervision staff: wage index set with a mix of fractions from home health/personal care aide, nursing assistant, psychiatric technician, and social and human services aide, with those fractions remaining in effect until certain later clauses are enacted.
  • Awake night supervision staff: effective January 1, 2026 (or upon federal approval, whichever is later), 40% of the median wage for home health/personal care aide, plus smaller percentages for other related roles.
  • Asleep night supervision staff (effective later): the base remains tied to the Minnesota minimum wage for large employers until the specified later date.
• Effective dates and sequencing:
  • Some provisions are effective on or after January 1, 2026.
  • Other provisions require a later date: January 1, 2027 or upon federal approval, whichever is later.
  • Some elements remain in effect until the later enacted clauses (18, 19, 20), as referenced in the bill text.

Significant Changes from Current Law

• Reinstates and updates a detailed, occupation-based base wage index for a wide range of staff in family residential services, replacing simpler or flat wage references with targeted percentages of median wages for many specific SOC-coded occupations.
• Introduces multiple phased and date-specific changes, including a transition that, for residential asleepovernight staff, moves from a minimum wage baseline to a fraction (36%) of the minimum wage after a defined date.
• Expands the number of job categories and subcategories covered by the wage index (e.g., adding or clarifying categories like individualized home supports with family training/training services, employment-related service categories, and night supervision roles).
• Uses a mix of percentages and fractions tied to several SOC codes to determine wage levels for many positions, rather than a single wage standard across all direct care and support roles.

Purpose and Policy Intent (plain-language framing)

• The bill seeks to ensure wages for workers in family residential and related services are tied to market-based benchmarks (median wages for specific occupations) and adjusted over time with clear dates.
• By specifying detailed wage formulas for many job categories, the bill aims to create transparent, standardized pay levels aligned with the skills and responsibilities of each role, while also gradually implementing changes through phased dates.

Relevant Terms - base wage index - median wage - SOC code - SOC code 211099 - SOC code 193031 - SOC code 291141 - SOC code 292061 - SOC code 311120 - SOC code 311131 - SOC code 211093 - SOC code 292053 - Minnesota minimum wage for large employers - residential asleepovernight staff - residential direct care staff - adult day services staff - day support services staff - prevocational services staff - positive supports analyst - positive supports professional - positive supports specialist - individualized home supports with family training - individualized home supports with training services - employment support services - employment exploration services - employment development services - night supervision staff - awake night supervision staff - asleep night supervision staff - family residential services - Minnesota Statutes 256B.4914 - Minnesota Statutes 2025 Supplement - effective dates (January 1, 2026; January 1, 2027; federal approval)