I think there are a lot of businesses being left out and will feel the impact […] There is a lot of fear around this program.”

Hastings Chamber of Commerce President Kristy Barse

At the April 16, Access and Issues meeting, Sen. Judy Seeberger (D-Afton) met with Hastings Chamber of Commerce members to discuss the legislative session, earned sick and safe time (ESST) and a future bonding bill.
The legislature is on recess from April 11-21, which has allowed many legislators to return from St. Paul to their communities and report on the happenings in the capitol.
Seeberger characterized the session as “a different kind of crazy.” With the tie in the Minnesota House of Representatives and a narrow margin within the Senate, “I had hoped naively that this meant people would work together […] sadly that really hasn’t been the case,” said Seeberger.

Earned Sick and Safe Time
A specific issue for many of the members of the chamber of commerce is ESST and the rollout of paid family medical leave (PFML). This was the Hastings Chamber of Commerce’s “highest priority” during the Chamber Day at the Capitol on April 3, according to Hastings Chamber of Commerce President Kristy Barse.
“I think there are a lot of businesses being left out and will feel the impact […] There is a lot of fear around this program,” said Barse.
Seeberger introduced a bill modifying ESST provisions on March 10, which was stalled out in committee due to DFL opposition and was moved to the Rules and Administration Committee April 4 to bypass the opposition from her own party.
The bill, S.F. 2300, is a modification of the ESST that went into effect Jan. 1, 2024, that mandated employers provide paid leave to employees within the state. Specifically, Seeberger’s bill would change the definition of employer to someone employing more than 15 employees, allowing smaller business to be exempt from providing ESST. The current definition of employer is “a person who has one or more employees,” according to Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 181.9445, subdivision 6.
That being said Seeberger was open to that number changing, having dropped to nine employees in an amendment to the bill with future changes still possible.
Attendees of the event spoke to how their businesses had been impacted by ESST. The use of ESST for employees at Intec Plastics has increased over 300% since March, said HR Manager Chantal Neetland. “You can’t run a business,” said Neetland about the change.
Owner of Precision Landscaping and Construction Inc. Joby Nolan also spoke to the increase within his company: “When one person on a crew will use it, quickly that entire crew is using what they have in their balance.” Nolan specifically referenced the use of ESST on Fridays and Mondays in order to extend weekends, which was not the intent of the original bill.
“On behalf of the board, we just wanted to say thank you again for the adjustments that were proposed in the earned sick and safe time and the paid family leave,” said Barse.
Seeberger described much of the backlash she had received from the bill as “hyperbole […] that I hate workers.” She spoke to criticism from several labor unions and even from within her own party: “There are certain members of my caucus who are like, ‘if you’re not with me, you’re against me.’”
As to what Seeberger wants for ESST: “I would love to see it pushed out at least a year […] My fear as a legislator is we are going to roll out another piece of legislation that costs a lot of money and doesn’t work,” said Seeberger.

Bonding
Bonding is a key issue for Hastings which is seeking some $16.6 million for the construction of PFAS water treatment plants (WTPs). Seeberger was clear that the legislature was already “behind the eight ball because we didn’t get one done last year,” explaining that the targets for a potential bonding bill had already shifted from $800 million, to $700 million to over $1 billion for a combined two-year bonding bill.
Despite that uncertainty, “We have to get a bonding bill done,” said Seeberger. This push for a bonding bill stands directly opposed to Hastings’ other state legislator Rep. Tom Dippel (R-Cottage Grove) who said he was not in support of a bonding bill at an April 5 town hall meeting: “I don’t like the bonding. I don’t think the state should have a credit card when you have a $50 billion budget already.”