Warehouse work can be dangerous. You are at risk for everything from repetitive stress injuries to major equipment failures.
Even so, it often feels like you are one of the lowest priorities for your company and for lawmakers. A new Minnesota labor law could change your mind about how the state values blue-collar workers.
One of the biggest labor wins in years
This law puts the brakes on some of the most predatory business policies and practices out there. Here are some of the protections that it could provide for you, in general:
- Establishes new rules for paid sick leave
- Outlaws noncompete agreements
- Expands pregnancy and nursing benefits
Some of these new rules might not apply to you. For example, most warehouse workers do not have to sign noncompete agreements. However, as you move up into management in the small-business warehouse industry, you must be surprised how quickly these types of restrictive terms start to pop up in your employment contracts.
Warehouse-specific protections
Now, here is the exciting part of this law for warehouse workers. There are several huge changes that could potentially improve your work experience:
- Breaks now have extra protection
- You might have the right to request your work speed data
- You might have the right to a written description of your work quota
This is all exciting news for workers across the state. However, it is important to understand that there could be limitations on some of these laws. Hopefully, this is just the start of making Minnesota a state where workers come first.