MN Earned Sick and Safe Time

HRMS Drop-in Session

Policy Update

• The President’s Policy Committee has approved the new Minnesota Earned Sick & Safe Time (ESST) policy.
• The policy will be open for review in the University Policy Library here https://policy.umn.edu/
• There are no material changes to the policy since it was last reviewed by the HRMS Advisory Group.

How does this differ from other absences?

• The reasons for using ESST are broader than the reasons for using sick leave or medical leave.
• Covered absences include personal medical reasons, like sick and medical leave, but also domestic abuse situations, public health emergencies and closures due to weather.
• The definition of “family” includes many more people than the definitions used for sick and medical leave.

How does this differ from other absences?

• Employees cannot be subject to disciplinary action for using ESST, regardless of their attendance pattern.
• Attendance policies that impose discipline based on point systems, like those that tally up “occurrences,” cannot include any use of ESST.

Important things to note:

• Records with expected job end dates before 1/1/2024 will NOT be automatically updated
• December 27th - Program will run automatically to add a new 1/1/2024 Data Change/Special Circumstances row for eligible employees

Important things to note:

• Employees paid with a lump sum (or salary) must have standard hours.
• Accruals only happen when payroll processes.
• Employees who perform work over multiple pay periods cannot be paid one lump sum payment.
• In this scenario the lump sum must be spread over the period of employment.

Important things to note:

• Employees who physically work in Minnesota for at least 80 hours per calendar year are entitled to ESST.
• To get an accrual process in place by January 1, 2024 for 99% of employees, we set up the system to accrue ESST based on the employee’s taxable state.

Important things to note:

• We are working to address employees who work both in Minnesota and another state. This will likely take a few months to implement.
• In the meantime, colleges and units will have to administer ESST for these employees manually.

Important things to note:

• Key points about multi-state employees:
• Employees who work outside of Minnesota are entitled to accrue ESST based on hours worked in Minnesota, not hours worked in other states.
• These employees are entitled to use ESST only to cover qualifying absences from work that would otherwise be performed in Minnesota.

Resources

• Policy Library
• HRMS Instruction Website
• OHR Website

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More Drop-in Sessions to come

• More Drop-in Sessions to come
• Promote these sessions
• HRMS Advisory Meetings
• Amy’s Weekly Email
• OHR Ops Website