SAINT PAUL, MN— On a bipartisan vote of 76-53, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed the Uniform Labor Standards Act (HF600) Thursday, which would ensure consistent employment regulations across the state. HF600 would mandate a uniform minimum wage throughout the Minnesota, and also prevent Local governments from imposing employment standards on employers in their jurisdiction beyond what is required in state statute. Representative Pat Garofalo (R- Farmington) is chief author of the bill in the House.
"This bill simply clarifies who is responsible for setting minimum wage and employment standards in Minnesota; our state government,” said Garofalo. “The state has been responsible for setting minimum wage and employment standards since Minnesota's statehood; this bill makes that precedence clear in state statute. We want to make sure there is a uniform set of regulations across our state so that businesses know what is required of them in Minnesota, instead of the patchwork of ordinances and labor standards created when local governments set their own employment standards. Employment standards hold huge implications for people’s lives, and we want to make sure that the responsibility for those decisions rests at a level of government that befits their impact.”
The bill is expected to be considered by the Senate in the coming weeks.
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