News from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry

January 2026

Paid Leave is here:  How it differs from earned sick and safe time

Minnesota's Paid Leave program is now in effect. How does it compare to earned sick and safe time? Both provide job protections when you cannot work, but they serve different purposes. Paid Leave offers partial wage replacement for longer-term needs, such as medical conditions, caring for family, bonding with a new child, safety-related issues and certain military-related situations. Note:  The Paid Leave program is overseen by the Department of Employment and Economic Development. Learn more and find contact information at paidleave.mn.gov.  To learn about Paid Leave job protections that are enforced by DLI’s Labor Standards Division, visit dli.mn.gov/paid-leave-protections. For a detailed comparison of the two programs, view the full handout.

Webinar:  New workplace laws in effect

Minnesota's labor laws have changed as of Jan. 1, 2026, with updates that affect both workers and employers. Join our Jan. 14 webinar for an overview of these changes, including new requirements for employee breaks and updated minimum-wage rates.

• Register for the webinar.

Youth Skills Training grants open Jan. 7

Beginning Jan. 7, apply for a Youth Skills Training (YST) grant to implement and expand YST programs in Minnesota. Applicants must include, at minimum, a partnership between a school and employer. Learn more about the grants.

Recruitment and retention strategies for apprenticeships

Strengthen your apprenticeship program with our recruitment and retention webinar series. Starting Jan. 13, these sessions cover policy development and outreach best-practices for current sponsors. Register to attend. 

Dual-Training Pipeline Industry Forums begin Jan. 26

Learn about Dual-Training Pipeline, share input about key in-demand occupations, help us develop new occupations eligible for Pipeline programming and network with others in your industry. Learn more about the forums.

New MNOSHA Health Care Seminar series begins Jan. 28

Minnesota OSHA Compliance is launching a new, free, online Health Care Seminar series beginning Jan. 28 at noon. This webinar will focus on Minnesota Statutes 182.677, Ergonomics, detailing what the law requires and who is covered. Register to attend. 

December edition of COMPACT published, available online

The December edition of COMPACT, the quarterly newsletter from DLI's Workers' Compensation Division, was published Tuesday, Dec. 16. Subscribe to receive email notification when new editions are published.

Next Construction Seminar to focus on electrical hazards

Minnesota OSHA Compliance's next free Construction Seminar, Tuesday, Jan. 20, will focus on electrical hazards on construction worksites. The brief seminars are offered both in person and online. Learn more on the Construction Seminar webpage.

MNOSHA fatality, serious-injury investigation summaries online

Each month, Minnesota OSHA (MNOSHA) Compliance publishes current, updated summaries of its fatality investigations and serious-injury investigations.

For the federal-fiscal-year that began Oct. 1, 2025, MNOSHA has investigated 10 fatalities through Dec. 29.

The information provided about each investigation is:  the inspection number, date of incident and worksite city; the type of business and number of employees; a description of the event; and the outcome of the MNOSHA Compliance investigation.

• View the summaries.

Subscribe for news from DLI

Did you know the Department of Labor and Industry offers more than two dozen email lists you can subscribe to receive news targeted to specific groups? Learn more and sign up online.

The Department of Labor and Industry ensures Minnesota's work and living environments are equitable, healthy and safe.