Workplace Partnership Group Update

The Workplace Partnership Group was established to:

Study the impact of policy proposals related to workplace regulations on earned sick time and paid time off, including consideration of regional and cross-jurisdictional implications of such policy proposals.
Engage the community in the development of its recommended policy proposals through focus groups, listening sessions, and similar practices and may consult subject-matter experts in the course of its study.
Report its final policy proposals on earned sick time and paid time off to the Committee of the Whole by no later than February 24, 2016.

The Partnership is composed of 19 members representing the following four stakeholder groups:

Employees, especially low-wage earners
Organized labor associations
Employers, including large and small businesses and immigrant-owned businesses
Business groups and associations

Listening Sessions

The Workplace Partnership Group will be conducting a series of community-based Listening Sessions to help inform its work in developing recommendations for policies related to earned sick time and paid time off. These listening sessions will provide an opportunity for identified stakeholders (both employees and employers) within specific industries to share their insights, concerns, perspectives, experiences, and suggestions with the Workplace Partnership Group. All Listening Sessions will be open to the general public, and time may be reserved at each session to accept public comments on these proposals.

Each Listening Session will be “hosted” by a member (or members) of the Workplace Partnership Group who will facilitate the session. Some of the key issues the Partnership Group hopes to elicit from stakeholders include:

How/when would you expect paid sick leave to be used by employees and employers?
What, if any, measures should be considered to ensure that workers are not penalized for using paid sick time & that employers are not subject to undue hardship in implementation of a policy?
What’s a meaningful accrual rate? Should it vary by hours worked, business size, revenue, number of employees?
What else would you like to say on this topic to shape the discussion?

In addition to the Listening Sessions, the Workplace Partnership Group will be hosting two Open Public Forums to enable all interested individuals, groups, associations, and the general public to provide input, comments, and suggestions on potential future policy proposals related to earned sick time and paid time off.

The following Listening Sessions have been confirmed:

Jan. 6, 2016: Latino employees and employers

6 – 7:30 p.m.
Mercado Central – Second Floor
1515 E Lake Street
Minneapolis, MN 55407

Jan. 7, 2016: Manufacturing/Construction

4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Minneapolis Labor Center, Room TBD
312 Central Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55414

Jan. 13, 2016: Nonprofit/Social Sector employees and employers

3:30 – 5 p.m.
St. Mary’s University – Room 105, Br. Louis Hall
2304 Park Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55404

Jan. 14, 2016: Small Businesses

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Bryant Lake Bowl
810 West Lake St
Minneapolis, MN 55408

Jan. 14, 2016: Downtown-based Businesses

4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Minneapolis Downtown Council, Skyline Conference Room
81 South 9th Street, Suite 260
Minneapolis, MN 55402

Jan. 17, 2016: Hospitality/Service Industry