Administrative Policy News for December 2023

The University is committed to an inclusive policy-making process. This communication highlights new or significantly revised administrative policies currently posted for the campus community to offer feedback. Your comments and suggestions are invited through the dates specified by each policy. Following the review period, all feedback will be forwarded to the policy owner who will then consider any revisions to the final policy.

Minnesota Earned Sick and Safe Time

At their December meeting, the President's Policy Committee approved the Minnesota Earned Sick and Safe Time policy. The Office of Human Resources created this policy to comply with Minnesota legislation that was signed into law earlier this year. To comply with the legislation, the version of the policy posted on the Policy website will take effect on January 1, 2024. We welcome comments and suggestions through January 11, 2024. After January 11th, all comments and suggestions will be forwarded to the policy owner who will then consider any revisions to the final policy.

Program Highlights

  • ESST is paid time employers must provide to employees working in Minnesota that can be used for certain reasons, including when an employee is sick, to care for a sick family member, to seek assistance if an employee or their family member has experienced domestic abuse, or if there is a work or school closure that prevents an employee from being able to work.
  • ESST is available to full-time, part-time, and temporary employees, as well as student employees, working in Minnesota.
  • As with other sick-time programs, accruals will be automatically tracked in MyU.
  • Employees can earn up to 48 hours annually. Unused ESST will roll over to the next year. The maximum balance available at any one time is 80 hours, and if that limit is reached, accruals will stop until the balance falls below 80 hours.
  • For absences that meet the criteria for use of either ESST or paid sick time, the employee will have the discretion to use whichever time bank they prefer.