## Minnesota Break Room: Labor News Roundup – January 3, 2025
This week’s Break Room features significant updates on Minnesota labor laws, national labor relations, and a new resource for navigating NLRB inquiries.
Higher Minimum Wages Take Effect
Minnesota’s statewide minimum wage increased to $11.13 per hour on January 1st, impacting almost all workers. This is due to a 2024 state law eliminating lower minimum wage tiers for small businesses, workers under 18, and those on J-1 visas. The increase represents a 2.6% rise for large business employees (from $10.85) and a substantial 26% increase for those in small businesses (from $8.85). A lower minimum wage of $9.08 remains for workers under 20 and in training. Minnesota joins 34 states and territories with minimum wages exceeding the federal rate of $7.25 (unchanged since 2009). Twin Cities minimum wages also saw a similar 2.6% inflation-adjusted increase, with varying rates across Minneapolis and St. Paul based on business size.
New Employer Transparency Requirements
Companies employing 30 or more individuals in Minnesota must now disclose salary ranges for all job postings, along with benefits and compensation details. Ranges cannot be open-ended. This initiative aims to empower job seekers with better information for salary negotiations. Research from the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank indicates that salary range transparency is growing, despite limited state-level mandates.
Nursing Home Worker Protections Enhanced
Minnesota’s new Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board implemented new rules mandating time-and-a-half pay for workers on 11 state holidays. The board, composed of equal representation from workers, nursing home leaders, and lawmakers, also voted to raise the average hourly minimum wage for nursing home workers to $23.49 by 2027, with the first increase slated for next year (pending state funding). However, two industry groups have filed a lawsuit to challenge the holiday pay rules, with a court hearing scheduled later this month.
Ride-Hail Insurance and Worker Protections
As of January 1st, ride-hail companies like Uber and Lyft must provide $1 million in injury coverage for drivers, extending to the period immediately after a trip concludes. This builds upon December 1st’s implementation of minimum pay rates and enhanced protections against wrongful termination (“deactivations”) mandated by state legislation passed last year.
Expanded Health Insurance Coverage
Minnesota health insurance plans are now required to cover abortions, gender-affirming care, and wigs for individuals experiencing hair loss due to cancer or other medical conditions.
Surgical Smoke Protection Mandate
Healthcare facilities must now utilize smoke evacuation systems to safeguard workers from surgical smoke exposure.
Biden Blocks Nippon Steel Acquisition of U.S. Steel
President Biden rejected Nippon Steel’s $14.9 billion bid for U.S. Steel via executive order, citing credible evidence of national security concerns. This decision aligns with campaign promises from both Vice President Kamala Harris and President-elect Donald Trump and is a victory for the United Steelworkers union, which opposed the deal and favored an acquisition by Cleveland-Cliffs. However, a Cleveland-Cliffs acquisition could raise its own market concerns due to potential near-total control of the domestic iron ore supply.
Sanford Health Settles Pregnancy Discrimination Lawsuit
Sanford Health will pay nearly $14,000 in back wages and damages to a former employee after the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) determined the health system violated the law by reducing her hours during pregnancy and terminating her employment while on unpaid parental leave. The settlement also includes $40,000 in civil penalties and a further $160,000 contingent upon compliance. Sanford will provide mandatory training on the Women’s Economic Security Act for its HR staff and managers and will inform employees and pregnant/new mothers of their rights.
Maple Grove Hospital Nurses Seek Unionization
Nearly 600 nurses at North Memorial’s Maple Grove Hospital may unionize with the Minnesota Nurses Association following a supermajority vote in support of a union election petition filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
New NLRB Research Tool Available
Matt Bruenig’s public database, “NLRB Edge,” provides comprehensive access to NLRB legal documents, facilitating research on federal labor law questions. This tool will be beneficial for legal professionals, union organizers, workers, and journalists alike.
About the Author: Max Nesterak, Deputy Editor, Minnesota Reformer.
(Note: The provided text contained many inconsistencies, such as repeated author information and copyright notices. These have been removed for clarity in this rewritten version.)