Minnesota Earned Sick and Safe Time Law
✓ Verified against official sources · September 1, 2026 Minn. Stat. §§ 181.9445–181.9448
The short answer: Minnesota requires earned sick and safe time for nearly all employees: one hour per 30 hours worked, up to 48 hours a year, with carryover allowed up to an 80-hour total bank.
Accrual rate
1 hour per 30 hours worked
Annual amount
Up to 48 hours per year; bank up to 80 hours with carryover
Employers covered
All employers with one or more employees
Penalty for non-compliance: Enforced by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry; violations carry remedies including the value of the time, liquidated damages, and civil penalties.
Minnesota's earned sick and safe time law (effective January 1, 2024) reaches essentially every employer. Under Minn. Stat. § 181.9446, employees accrue one hour per 30 hours worked, up to 48 hours a year, and employers must permit carryover of unused time up to a total bank of 80 hours — with frontloading alternatives that can waive carryover.
"Safe time" is broad: the employee's or a family member's illness and care, domestic abuse, sexual assault or stalking needs, and closures due to weather or public emergencies. The Department of Labor and Industry enforces the law, with liquidated damages and penalties for violations — and city ordinances in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth continue to apply where stricter.
For employersThe carryover default is mandatory — unused time rolls into the next year up to the 80-hour bank — unless you frontload under the statute's alternatives. Duluth, Minneapolis and St. Paul ordinances layer on top.
For employeesYou earn one hour per 30 worked — up to 48 hours a year, bankable to 80 — usable for illness, family care, safety needs, and weather or emergency closures.
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Minnesota FAQ
How much sick and safe time do Minnesota employees earn?
One hour per 30 hours worked, up to 48 hours a year — with mandatory carryover of unused time up to an 80-hour total unless the employer uses a statutory frontloading alternative (Minn. Stat. 181.9446).
What can Minnesota sick and safe time be used for?
The employee's or a family member's illness, medical care and preventive care; domestic abuse, sexual assault or stalking needs; and closures of the workplace or a child's school due to weather or public emergency.
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Official sources
Educational content, not legal advice. Rules change — every fact above was checked against the linked official sources on the date shown.
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How other states compare
| State | Accrual rate | Annual amount | Employers covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | 40 hrs (under 15 employees) / 56 hrs (15+) | All employers — the cap varies at the 15-employee line |
| Arizona | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | 40 hours (15+ employees) / 24 hours (under 15) | All employers — the cap varies by size |
| California | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (alternative schedules allowed) | Use at least 40 hours / 5 days; accrual cap 80 hours / 10 days | Nearly all employers, regardless of size |
| Colorado | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 48 hours per year (+80-hour PHE supplement when declared) | All employers — full-time, part-time and temporary employees |
| Connecticut | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per year; 40 hours carryover | 11+ employees now; every employer from Jan 1, 2027 |
| District of Columbia | 1 hour per 37 / 43 / 87 hours worked, by employer size | 7 days (100+) / 5 days (25–99) / 3 days (≤24) | All D.C. employers — tiered by headcount |
| Illinois | 1 hour per 40 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per 12-month period — usable for any purpose | Nearly all employers (school and park districts excluded) |
| Maine | 1 hour per 40 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per year — usable for any reason | More than 10 employees in Maine for 120+ days a year (non-seasonal) |
| Maryland | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Earn up to 40 hrs/yr; use and bank up to 64 hrs | All — paid at 15+ employees, unpaid at 14 or fewer |
| Massachusetts | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per calendar year | All — paid at 11+ employees, unpaid below |
| Michigan | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (frontloading allowed) | Use up to 72 hrs/yr — 40 hrs at small businesses (≤10 workers) | All employers with one or more employees |
| Minnesota | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 48 hours per year; bank up to 80 hours with carryover | All employers with one or more employees |
| Missouri | None — the mandate was repealed effective Aug 28, 2025 | No state requirement — employer policy controls | No Missouri employer is required to provide sick leave |
| Nebraska | 1 hour per 30 hours worked, after 80 hours of employment | 40 hrs (11–19 employees) / 56 hrs (20+) | 11+ employees — employers with 10 or fewer are exempt |
| Nevada | 0.01923 hours per hour worked (≈1 per 52; frontloading allowed) | ≈40 hours per benefit year for full-time work — any purpose | Private employers — under-50-employee hardship and other carve-outs |
| New Jersey | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (or 40 hours advanced up front) | Up to 40 hours per benefit year; 40 hours carryover | All New Jersey employers, regardless of size |
| New Mexico | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (or 64 hours frontloaded Jan 1) | Use up to 64 hours per year; 64-hour carryover | All private employers, regardless of size |
| New York | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | 56 hrs paid (100+) / 40 paid (5–99) / 40 unpaid (0–4, ≤$1M income) | Every NY employer — the tier sets paid vs. unpaid and the cap |
| Oregon | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (or 1-1/3 per 40) | Up to 40 hours per year | All — paid at 10+ employees, unpaid under 10 |
| Rhode Island | 1 hour per 35 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per year | Paid at 18+ employees; smaller employers provide unpaid leave |
| Vermont | 1 hour per 52 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per 12-month period | All Vermont employers |
| Washington | 1 hour per 40 hours worked | No annual cap — leave is usable as accrued; 40-hour carryover | All employers covered by the Minimum Wage Act |
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