Task Force on Eliminating Subminimum Wages

Meeting summary for April 11, 2023

Visit the Task force meetings page to review the meeting agenda, presentation slides and other documents from the meeting, once posted.

Task force members: Alex (Jon) Alexander, Larissa Beck, Sara Ellstra, Susan Fleurant, Heidi Hamilton, Brittanie Hernandez-Wilson, Amanda Jensen-Stahl, Alex Junge, Kirk Langsjoen, Debbie Luther, Heidi Maghan, Chris McVey, Jillian Nelson, Lori Schluttenhofer, Andrea Zuber

Others: Jessica Burke, MAD; Karen Gaides, MAD; Matt Kane, MAD; Ryan Merz, DHS

Communications and external activities

· Task force member Larissa Beck talked about communications and external activities. Task force members had no questions. To review Larissa’s presentation slides, go to the Task force meetings page, select the 2023 meetings tab, and scroll down to find the presentation (slides 5-6) for the April 11 meeting.

· Task force co-chair Jillian Nelson provided a legislative update. She reported that, as of April 11, the omnibus DHS bill in the Minnesota Senate didn’t address elimination of subminimum wages. The Minnesota House, however, included provisions to end subminimum wages in its omnibus DHS bill. The House and Senate will need to meet and come up with a combined omnibus DHS bill that both House and Senate members will vote on later in the session. Jillian said the hope is that the version for final votes from the House and the Senate will include provisions to end subminimum wages.

An inventory of task force recommendations when it comes to legislative action

Ryan Merz, employment coordinator for the Disability Services Division at DHS, offered an inventory of the February recommendations from the task force based on the status of those recommendations in current legislation. For his presentation, Ryan grouped the task force recommendations into three categories:

· Recommendations that require legislative action and are included in proposed legislation, as of April 11.

· Recommendations that require legislative action and are not included in proposed legislation, as of April 11.

· Recommendations that can be implemented by state agencies without legislative action.

To review Ryan’s information about the task force recommendations in each of these three categories, go to the Task force meetings page, select the 2023 meetings tab, and scroll down to find the presentation (slides 9-27) for the April 11 meeting.

Ryan reported that DSD has presented to DHS staff on the task force recommendations, including to the DHS employment leadership team. Members of that team raised some concerns about the task force recommendation to allow separate procedure codes for one-to-one and group day care services, so these are being looked into. For the task force recommendation for technical assistance to help with the transition away from subminimum wages, DHS has consulted with a current technical assistance provider on ideas if that passes the Legislature.

The task force recommended that the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) conduct a coordinated employer communications and engagement strategy. That strategy doesn’t need approval from the Legislature, Ryan said, but DEED would need additional resources to carry this out.

Task force questions and discussion

In response to Ryan’s mention of Minnesota’s Employment First efforts, Larissa asked what other states have done. Ryan said DSD did research into models in other states. Task force member Christine McVey from Vocational Rehabilitation Services at DEED added that those involved in Minnesota’s Employment First efforts had reached out to contacts in Colorado a few years ago on Employment First action, including training for people who work on Medicaid waivers.

An online May 9 TFESW session for the public

Karen Gaides from Management Analysis and Development (MAD) said that instead of its usual monthly meeting in May, the task force will hold a public meeting about its recommendations and answers to frequently asked questions about them. That session will be held online on May 9 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. For more about the May 9 session, go to the Task force meetings page, select the 2023 meetings tab, and scroll down to find the presentation (slides 29) for the April 11 meeting.

Karen said the format for May 9 will allow time for questions from participants. Task force members should share information with others about the upcoming May session through their networks once that information is available. The online link for this May session will be different than the usual link task force members use for their regular monthly meetings.

The task force won’t meet in June, in part because many members will be participating in the conference for the national Association of People Supporting Employment First.

Next task force meeting (after the May 9 session for the public)

Tuesday, July 11, 10-11:30 a.m. on Zoom.