State's new law requires paid sick time for all Minnesota workers starting in January

MINNEAPOLIS — Probably the most impactful piece of legislation that came out of the very busy last legislative session will go into effect with the new year, and it affects all workers.

Every worker, regardless of status, will be eligible for sick and safe time, and employers are required to pay for it. There are some key numbers workers and employers need to remember.

If you work 30 hours that makes you eligible for one hour of paid sick and safe time for a maximum of 48 hours a year.

The new law says you can get sick or safe time if you are sick or if you are caring for a sick family member. The definition of sick includes mental illness, and the definition of a family member is broad. It includes step-relatives, grandparents, nieces and nephews, and domestic partners and foster relatives.

You are also entitled to get sick or safe pay if you are a victim of sexual assault, stalking or domestic violence, or if you are helping a family member who is.

Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan and state officials held a news conference Monday at a Minneapolis bakery to share details of the plan

"We know that everyone deserves paid time away to heal, to grow and to live, and when you come back your job should still be there," Flanagan said.

The cities of Bloomington, Duluth, Minneapolis and St Paul already have sick and safe time pay laws.

As of Jan. 1, 2024, the employer will have to pay under whichever law is most favorable to the employee. Likewise if a private employer's PTO is not as good as the state law, employers will have to go by the state standards.

A family leave bill is coming in 2026, and that provides paid time off for 12 to 20 weeks for the birth of a child or for a serious illness. That one is going to take a large new infrastructure to be put in place, including a funding mechanism similar to unemployment insurance.