Tomorrow, the Minnesota Senate will vote on a bill being supported by the MN Chamber that would explicitly preempt local governments from enacting wage and benefit mandates on employers. This stems from efforts by the Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul to mandate paid safe/sick time for employers in their city (with discussions on minimum wage, paid parental leave etc. pending). The worry is that this could spread to other cities across the state, creating a patchwork of laws and mandates on businesses.

Senator Frentz is currently a “no” vote on this bill. If you’d like to weigh in with Sen. Frentz with your thoughts, now is the time to do it. You can find his contact information aquí. Click read more to view the action alert from the MN Chamber with more information and talking points.This Thursday, April 20, the Minnesota Senate will vote on the Uniform State Labor Standards Act, SF 580 (Miller, R-Winona). This bill will explicitly preempt local governments from enacting wage and benefit mandates on employers. Please contact your Senator as soon as possible and urge them to support SF 580. The companion bill, HF 600, has already passed the Minnesota House.

• Employers, not government, should determine benefit offerings that meet the needs of their employees.

• A patchwork of city-by-city ordinances puts tremendous administrative and cost burdens on employers.

• Many, many employers already offer increased benefits and paid leave plans. It’s a competitive marketplace for talent.

• A “one size fits all” mandate does not meet the unique needs of different sizes and types of employers.

While local control is important for many decisions like zoning, and tax assessment, this bill would make workplace benefits, wages and scheduling uniform statewide.