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Key: (1) language to be deleted (2) new language

CHAPTER 166--H.F.No. 2091

An act

relating to employment; providing labor standards for private and public employees; regulating the minimum wage; regulating state employee use of donated vacation leave;

amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 43A.1815; 177.24, subdivision 1.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 43A.1815, is amended to read:

43A.1815 VACATION DONATION TO SICK LEAVE ACCOUNT.

(a) In addition to donations under section 43A.181, a state employee may donate a total of up to 40 hours of accrued vacation leave each fiscal year to the sick leave account of one or more state employees. A state employee may not be paid for more than 80 hours in a payroll period during which the employee uses sick leave credited to the employee's account as a result of a transfer from another state employee's vacation account.

(b) The recipient employee must receive donations, as available, for a life-threatening condition of the employee or spouse or dependent child that prevents the employee from working. A recipient may use program donations retroactively to when all forms of paid leave are exhausted if the employee has sufficient donations to cover the period of retroactivity.new text begin A recipient who receives program donations under this section may use up to 80 hours of program donations after the death of a spouse or dependent child.new text end

(c) An applicant for benefits under this section who receives an unfavorable determination may select a designee to consult with the commissioner or commissioner's designee on the reasons for the determination.

(d) The commissioner shall establish procedures under section 43A.04, subdivision 4, for eligibility, duration of need based on individual cases, monitoring and evaluation of individual eligibility status, and other topics related to administration of this program.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 177.24, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Amount.

(a) For purposes of this subdivision, the terms defined in this paragraph have the meanings given them.

(1) "Large employer" means an enterprise whose annual gross volume of sales made or business done is not less than deleted text begin $625,000deleted text end new text begin $500,000new text end (exclusive of excise taxes at the retail level that are separately stated) and covered by the Minnesota Fair Labor Standards Act, sections 177.21 to 177.35.

(2) "Small employer" means an enterprise whose annual gross volume of sales made or business done is less than deleted text begin $625,000deleted text end new text begin $500,000new text end (exclusive of excise taxes at the retail level that are separately stated) and covered by the Minnesota Fair Labor Standards Act, sections 177.21 to 177.35.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in sections 177.21 to 177.35deleted text begin , every large employer must pay each employee wages at a rate of at least $5.15 an hour beginning September 1, 1997, and at a rate of at least $6.15 an hour beginning August 1, 2005. Every small employer must pay each employee at a rate of at least $4.90 an hour beginning January 1, 1998, and at a rate of at least $5.25 an hour beginning August 1, 2005deleted text end new text begin :new text end

new text begin (1) every large employer must pay each employee wages at a rate of at least: new text end

new text begin (i) $8.00 per hour beginning August 1, 2014; new text end

new text begin (ii) $9.00 per hour beginning August 1, 2015; new text end

new text begin (iii) $9.50 per hour beginning August 1, 2016; and new text end

new text begin (iv) the rate established under paragraph (f) beginning January 1, 2018; and new text end

new text begin (2) every small employer must pay each employee at a rate of at least: new text end

new text begin (i) $6.50 per hour beginning August 1, 2014; new text end

new text begin (ii) $7.25 per hour beginning August 1, 2015; new text end

new text begin (iii) $7.75 per hour beginning August 1, 2016; and new text end

new text begin (iv) the rate established under paragraph (f) beginning January 1, 2018new text end .

(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (b), during the first 90 consecutive days of employment, an employer may pay an employee under the age of 20 years a wage of deleted text begin $4.90 an hour. No employer may take any action to displace any employee, including a partial displacement through a reduction in hours, wages, or employment benefits, in order to hire an employee at the wage authorized in this paragraphdeleted text end new text begin at least:new text end

new text begin (1) $6.50 per hour beginning August 1, 2014; new text end

new text begin (2) $7.25 per hour beginning August 1, 2015; new text end

new text begin (3) $7.75 per hour beginning August 1, 2016; and new text end

new text begin (4) the rate established under paragraph (f) beginning January 1, 2018new text end .

new text begin No employer may take any action to displace an employee, including a partial displacement through a reduction in hours, wages, or employment benefits, in order to hire an employee at the wage authorized in this paragraph. new text end

new text begin (d) Notwithstanding paragraph (b), an employer that is a "hotel or motel," "lodging establishment," or "resort" as defined in Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 157.15, subdivisions 7, 8, and 11, must pay an employee working under a contract with the employer that includes the provision by the employer of a food or lodging benefit, if the employee is working under authority of a summer work travel exchange visitor program (J) nonimmigrant visa, a wage of at least: new text end

new text begin (1) $7.25 per hour beginning August 1, 2014; new text end

new text begin (2) $7.50 per hour beginning August 1, 2015; new text end

new text begin (3) $7.75 per hour beginning August 1, 2016; and new text end

new text begin (4) the rate established under paragraph (f) beginning January 1, 2018. new text end

new text begin No employer may take any action to displace an employee, including a partial displacement through a reduction in hours, wages, or employment benefits, in order to hire an employee at the wage authorized in this paragraph. new text end

new text begin (e) Notwithstanding paragraph (b), a large employer must pay an employee under the age of 18 at a rate of at least: new text end

new text begin (1) $6.50 per hour beginning August 1, 2014; new text end

new text begin (2) $7.25 per hour beginning August 1, 2015; new text end

new text begin (3) $7.75 per hour beginning August 1, 2016; and new text end

new text begin (4) the rate established under paragraph (f) beginning January 1, 2018. new text end

new text begin No employer may take any action to displace an employee, including a partial displacement through a reduction in hours, wages, or employment benefits, in order to hire an employee at the wage authorized in this paragraph. new text end

new text begin (f) No later than August 31 of each year, beginning in 2017, the commissioner shall determine the percentage increase in the rate of inflation, as measured by the implicit price deflator, national data for personal consumption expenditures as determined by the United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis during the 12-month period immediately preceding that August or, if that data is unavailable, during the most recent 12-month period for which data is available. The minimum wage rates in paragraphs (b), (c), (d), and (e) are increased by the lesser of: (1) 2.5 percent, rounded to the nearest cent; or (2) the percentage calculated by the commissioner, rounded to the nearest cent. A minimum wage rate shall not be reduced under this paragraph. The new minimum wage rates determined under this paragraph take effect on the next January 1. new text end

new text begin (g)(1) No later than September 30 of each year, beginning in 2017, the commissioner may issue an order that an increase calculated under paragraph (f) not take effect. The commissioner may issue the order only if the commissioner, after consultation with the commissioner of management and budget, finds that leading economic indicators, including but not limited to projections of gross domestic product calculated by the United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis; the Consumer Confidence Index issued by the Conference Board; and seasonally adjusted Minnesota unemployment rates, indicate the potential for a substantial downturn in the state's economy. Prior to issuing an order, the commissioner shall also calculate and consider the ratio of the rate of the calculated change in the minimum wage rate to the rate of change in state median income over the same time period used to calculate the change in wage rate. Prior to issuing the order, the commissioner shall hold a public hearing, notice of which must be published in the state register, on the department's Web site, in newspapers of general circulation, and by other means likely to inform interested persons of the hearing, at least 10 days prior to the hearing. The commissioner must allow interested persons to submit written comments to the commissioner before the public hearing and for 20 days after the public hearing. new text end

new text begin (2) The commissioner may in a year subsequent to issuing an order under clause (1), make a supplemental increase in the minimum wage rate in addition to the increase for a year calculated under paragraph (f). The supplemental increase may be in an amount up to the full amount of the increase not put into effect because of the order. If the supplemental increase is not the full amount, the commissioner may make a supplemental increase of the difference, or any part of a difference, in a subsequent year until the full amount of the increase ordered not to take effect has been included in a supplemental increase. In making a determination to award a supplemental increase under this clause, the commissioner shall use the same considerations and use the same process as for an order under clause (1). A supplemental wage increase is not subject to and shall not be considered in determining whether a wage rate increase exceeds the limits for annual wage rate increases allowed under paragraph (f). new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective August 1, 2014. new text end

Sec. 3.

new text begin SEVERABILITY. new text end

new text begin If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is judged invalid, the invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the act which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this act are declared severable. new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment. new text end

Presented to the governor April 10, 2014

Signed by the governor April 14, 2014, 2:31 p.m.

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes