Over a year after Minnesota’s Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) law went into effect in January 2024, Minnesota’s Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) recently published proposed permanent rules (the Proposed Rules) that, if adopted, will regulate the ESST law. Although the rules are not yet final, they offer insights for employers on DLI’s

Kaylyn R. Stanek
Kaylyn Stanek is an associate in the Minneapolis, Minnesota, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. She represents management in employment litigation and advises clients on all aspects of the employer-employee relationship. Her goal with every client is to provide practical and straightforward advice.
Updates for Employers Using Private Plans to Comply with Minnesota’s Paid Leave Law
Minnesota is one of a dozen states that have enacted a statewide program providing compensation to employees during family and medical leaves. Minnesota’s law provides job protection and payment of benefits through a state-run insurance program to qualifying employees to take up to 12 weeks of leave for family and/or medical reasons (or a combined…
Final Proposed Rules & Updated FAQs Published Regarding Minnesota’s Paid Leave Law
Minnesota’s Paid Leave Division recently published final proposed rules (“Proposed Rules”) that, if adopted, will regulate the state’s Paid Leave Law. The Paid Leave Law establishes a benefit insurance program for paid family and medical leave for covered Minnesota employees and takes effect on January 1, 2026. The Proposed Rules reflect input from businesses, healthcare…
Minnesota’s Paid Leave Law: New Guidance, Higher Payroll Taxes, Amendments
Under Minnesota’s Paid Leave Law (PLL) that goes into effect in January 2026, employers must provide covered employees up to 20 weeks of leave to care for themselves and their family members with paid leave benefits available through the Minnesota Paid Leave Program.
Although the PLL was passed on May 25, 2023, employees will…
Top Changes to Minnesota’s Earned Sick and Safe Time Statute
Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz signed legislation amending the state’s Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) law, on May 24, 2024, nearly six months after the statute took effect. Although all of the amendments are important, the top changes are outlined here.
Duluth, Minnesota Repeals Its Paid Leave Ordinance; Other City Ordinances Remain
Leave laws, regulations, and ordinances continue to change in Minnesota. The city of Duluth, Minnesota, repealed its Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) ordinance effective Jan. 17, 2024. The Duluth ESST had guaranteed paid leave for qualifying employees working in the city since Jan. 1, 2020. Minnesota’s statewide ESST statute went into effect on Jan.
St. Paul Issues New Guidance For Employers Complying with the City’s Earned Sick and Safe Time Ordinance
Continuing the wave of new rules and regulations related to paid leave in Minnesota, on January 8, 2024, the St. Paul Department of Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity (HREEO) issued guidance on its interpretation of St. Paul’s Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) Ordinance. St. Paul revised its ESST Ordinance in October 2023…
Guidance Interpreting Minnesota’s New Earned Sick and Safe Time Law
Minnesota’s statewide paid sick and safe leave mandate, the Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) law, went into effect Jan. 1, 2024. The Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) has posted answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ Guide) that it revised on Dec. 4, 2023.
The revised FAQ Guide provides more information and example scenarios…
Saint Paul Changes Earned Sick and Safe Time Ordinance as Second City to Align With Minnesota’s Leave Law
Employers in Minnesota are not the only ones gearing up for Minnesota’s earned sick and safe time (ESST) law to take effect on January 1, 2024. Cities in Minnesota are also making changes to their respective earned sick and safe time ordinances. Saint Paul’s City Council unanimously adopted amendments to its Earned Sick and Safe…
Bloomington Amends Sick and Safe Time Ordinance to Align With Minnesota’s Sick and Safe Time Law
The City Council for the City of Bloomington, Minnesota, has adopted amendments to its Sick and Safe Time Ordinance (previously called the Sick and Safe Leave Time Ordinance). The amendments, Ordinance No. 2023-24 § 23.05, will go in effect on January 1, 2024.
Although Minnesota’s Earned Sick and Safe Time mandate does not preempt related…