1998 Minnesota Statutes

     268.976 Early warning system. 

    Subdivision 1.    Early warning indicators.  The 
 commissioner, in cooperation with the commissioners of revenue 
 and trade and economic development, shall establish and oversee 
 an early warning system to identify industries and businesses 
 likely to experience large losses in employment including a 
 plant closing or a substantial layoff, by collecting and 
 analyzing information which may include, but not be limited to, 
 products and markets experiencing declining growth rates, 
 companies and industries subject to competition from production 
 in low wage counties, changes in ownership, layoff and 
 employment patterns, payments of reemployment insurance 
 contributions, and state tax payments.  The commissioner may 
 request the assistance of businesses, business organizations, 
 and trade associations in identifying businesses, industries, 
 and specific establishments that are likely to experience large 
 losses in employment.  The commissioner may request information 
 and other assistance from other state agencies for the purposes 
 of this subdivision. 

    Subd. 2.    Notice.  (a) The commissioner shall 
 encourage those business establishments considering a decision 
 to effect a plant closing, substantial layoff, or relocation of 
 operations located in this state to give notice of that decision 
 as early as possible to the commissioner, the employees of the 
 affected establishment, any employee organization representing 
 the employees, and the local government unit in which the 
 affected establishment is located.  This notice shall be in 
 addition to any notice required under the Worker Adjustment and 
 Retraining Notification Act, United States Code, title 29, 
 section 2101. 

    (b) Notwithstanding section 268.975, subdivision 6, for 
 purposes of this section, "plant closing" means the announced or 
 actual permanent or temporary shutdown of a single site of 
 employment, or one or more facilities or operating units within 
 a single site of employment, if the shutdown results in an 
 employment loss at the single site of employment during any 
 30-day period for 50 or more employees excluding employees who 
 work less than 20 hours per week.  

    Subd. 3.    Employer responsibility.  An employer 
 providing notice of a plant closing, substantial layoff, or 
 relocation of operations under the Worker Adjustment and 
 Retraining Notification Act, United States Code, title 29, 
 section 2101, or under subdivision 2 must report to the 
 commissioner the names, addresses, and occupations of the 
 employees who will be or have been terminated. 

    HIST: 1989 c 282 art 2 s 178; 1993 c 369 s 102; 1994 c 488 s 8