Duluth, Minn., Enacts Paid Leave Ordinance

The Duluth, Minn., City Council enacted a new paid leave ordinance May 29, 2018.

Under the ordinance, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2020, employers with five or more employees must allow workers to accrue one hour of paid leave for every 50 hours worked, up to 64 hours per year.

Also, employers have the option to cap paid leave accrual to 40 hours per year. If this method is used, employees must be allowed to carry over up to 40 hours of unused sick leave into the following year.

Alternatively, employers may front-load 40 hours of sick leave for each employee at the beginning of each year.

Employees may utilize the paid leave after 90 days of employment for:

• Diagnosis, care/treatment, or recovery from an employee’s mental or physical illness, injury or other health condition, or for preventative medical care
• Diagnosis, care/treatment, or recovery from a family member’s mental or physical illness, injury or other health condition, or for preventative medical care
• Absence due to domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking of the employee or employee’s family member

Family members include the employee’s:

• Spouse or domestic partner
• Child
• Parent
• Sibling
• Grandparent
• Grandchild
• Any other individual related by blood or whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship

In addition, employers are required to provide notice to employees of the new ordinance.