The Affects of Mpls Workforce Ordinance & Your Business

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce has evaluated the new Minneapolis “paid sick and safe time” ordinance. Effective July 1, 2017, the ordinance requires any company with 6 or more employees to provide paid sick and safe time at a specified accrual rate to all employees who work within the Minneapolis city limits for 80 hours or more per year—regardless of whether the employer has an office in Minneapolis. There are extensive record-keeping obligations and fines for noncompliance. 

The Minneapolis ordinance will impose a one-size-fits-all mandate on most businesses operating within Minneapolis—even businesses that have no physical presence in the city. This heavy-handed approach will stifle employers’ current initiatives, burden businesses with significant administrative costs, lead to unintentional errors that could result in fines, and interfere in workplace operations.  

Furthermore, the Minneapolis ordinance is a troubling step toward a patchwork of rules that businesses must navigate as they cross city lines. Both St. Paul and Duluth are also considering similar ordinances. To create a healthy economy for all Minnesotans, Minnesota’s businesses need uniform rules across the state—rules that do not restrict the ability of each business to implement a leave policy that fits its particular business model. 

Cam Winson, the Director of the Minnesota Chamber’s Energy & Labor Management Policy will be our presenter.  Cam holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania, a master's degree from the London School of Economics, and a law degree from Georgetown University. He and his wife have three young children and live in Minneapolis, where as a candidate for mayor in 2013 Cam advocated reforms to business regulations. In his volunteer time, Cam is the board chair of the KIPP public charter middle school in North Minneapolis.