Minnesota's Department of Labor and Industry has adopted new rules clarifying key aspects of the state's Earned Sick and Safe Time law, addressing critical questions about accrual years, employee eligibility, documentation requirements, and the interaction with more generous employer leave policies. These rules, effective July 6, 2026, provide employers with essential guidance on compliance obligations, including how to handle accrual method changes, calculate leave for indeterminate shifts, and implement i
United StatesEmployment and HR
Following a multi-year process, the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (MNDOLI) adopted rules providing guidance and clarification on Minnesota’s Earned Sick and Safe Time law (“ESST”). The rules went into effect on July 6, 2026.
Accrual Year
The rules clarify that while employers are able to define the ESST accrual year as any regular and consecutive 12-month period, if the employer does not clearly designate and communicate the accrual year, the default year will be the calendar year.
An employer must communicate any change to the accrual year to employees in advance and such change cannot negatively impact an employee’s ability to accrue ESST.
Changing Accrual Methods
Similar to the rules governing changes to an employer’s accrual year, the adopted rules require that employers provide employees with written notice before changing the method used to provide ESST (e.g., switching between an accrual method to frontloading). The rules clarify that the change cannot go
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