SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Today, the Minnesota House approved a sweeping package of safety protections for workers at Minnesota warehouses, including at Amazon facilities. Lawmakers also approved legislation guaranteeing Earned Sick and Safe Time for all Minnesota workers, as well as a bill approving worker contracts for Minnesota state employees.
“Over a century ago, Upton Sinclair published ‘The Jungle,’ which brought to light disturbing conditions in meatpacking plants. Today, Minnesota’s laws still don’t adequately protect all workers from grueling and dangerous conditions on the job. People who work in Amazon warehouses deserve better,” said Rep. Tina Liebling (DFL – Rochester). “But no matter where they work, all employees in our state must have a safe and fair workplace. The legislation we approved today will help many workers can come home safe at the end of the day.”
The House approved legislation to empower Minnesota’s warehouse workers and address practices that have led to high injury rates at Amazon facilities. For example, Amazon subjects their employees to quotas that change frequently and often aren’t disclosed, with an intense pace and pressure to meet high quotas that endangers workers. According to a report by the National Employment Law Project, Amazon warehouse workers have an annual injury rate four times the injury rate for all workers in private industry, and more than double that of non-Amazon warehouses in the state.
The legislation applies to Amazon and other large companies that operate a warehouse distribution center with more than 250 employees. It requires these corporations to provide warehouse workers with written notice of all quotas and performance standards they are subject to and to disclose how they are measured. The employer can’t fire or take disciplinary action against a worker who fails to meet a quota that wasn’t disclosed.
More than 900,000 Minnesota workers, including two-thirds of workers in the lowest wage positions, don’t get paid time off when they or a family member are ill or need to go to a doctor’s appointment. The House also approved legislation to require Minnesota employers to provide workers Earned Sick and Safe Time. The legislation would ensure, at a minimum, one hour of paid Earned Sick and Safe Time for every 30 hours worked, up to at least 48 hours per year.
Earned Sick and Safe Time can be used to attend to physical and mental health needs – including illness, injury, or a doctor’s appointment – for workers and their family members. Absence following domestic abuse or sexual assault, if a job site is closed, or if a family member’s school is closed are also eligible uses. Sixteen states have adopted similar policies guaranteeing paid sick leave for workers, as have numerous cities including Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and Duluth.
Minnesotans can be proud of the workers who deliver services through our state government. Rep. Liebling was proud to support legislation ratifying the 2020-21 Minnesota Law Enforcement Association contract and the 2022-23 contracts with AFSCME, MAPE, Middle Management Association, the State Residential Schools Education Association, Minnesota Nurses Association, and employees covered under the managerial and commissioner’s compensation plans. The agreements cover nearly 39,000 individuals who work across state government serving the citizens of the state and approximately 4500 Minnesota State employees and faculty.
Video recording of today’s floor debate can be found on House Public Information Services’ YouTube channel.