FEBRUARY 2026

Salt Crisis for Michigan’s Snow & Ice Management Firms - A Report, Strategies, and Relief

This winter has created significant challenges for our industry, with the ongoing salt crisis ranking high on the list for our Snow & Ice Management firms. We are actively working with members to raise awareness of this issue with state Legislators and to provide strategies that help businesses navigate the impacts of the current supply crisis.

Resources currently available to members include:

• Report: Commercial Salt Allocation Crisis for Michigan’s Snow Management Firms – prepared by Phoenix Intelligence
• Article: Strategies for Dealing with the Salt Shortage by Phil Harwood, Esq.
• Relief: In addition, we are working with Rep. Neyer, who has introduced legislation aimed at providing liability relief for snow and ice management professionals. The bill would provide protections related to injuries that occur due to conditions that are known, or that would have been discovered by a reasonably careful person upon casual inspection under the circumstances.

Michigan’s Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA) – One Year Later

Depending on the number of employees that you have, the Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA) went into effect for your Michigan business on either February 21 or October 1, 2025. Michigan sick time laws are not optional and enforcement is active. Employers should treat ESTA compliance as a standing operational requirement – not a one-time update. Here is what employers should review in 2026:

Confirm that policies and employee handbooks are ESTA-compliant. 

Employers should review existing paid time off (PTO) and sick leave policies to ensure they meet – or exceed – ESTA requirements. Outdated language or informal workarounds can create compliance risk in 2026. Key areas to confirm include:

• Accrual vs. frontloading methodology
• Carryover rules
• Permitted uses of earned sick time
• Alignment between written policies and actual practices

Reinforce manager and HR training.

Even when policies are compliant, risk can arise from inconsistent application. Refresher training helps ensure that compliance is applied consistently across departments and locations.

Managers and HR teams should understand:

• Employee rights under the Michigan Earned Sick Time Act
• Accrual rates and frontloading rules
• Notice, documentation and retaliation protections
• Proper calculation of an employee’s rate of pay

Ensure that required notices are posted and communicated.

Michigan employers must continue to notify employees of their earned sick time rights. Beyond being required legally, labor law posters remain one of the most effective compliance tools because they:

• Provide required notices in a standardized format
• Reduce confusion and miscommunication
• Demonstrate good-faith compliance during enforcement reviews

Validate time tracking and payroll systems.

Employers should confirm that payroll and time-tracking systems accurately reflect their ESTA compliance approach – whether accrual or frontloading. System errors – especially when left uncorrected – can compound compliance exposure over time.

Important checks include:

• Accurate accrual calculations or frontloading implementation
• Alignment between payroll systems and written policies

Final 2026 compliance reminders for employers.

Michigan sick time laws are not optional and enforcement is active. Employers should treat ESTA compliance as a standing operational requirement – not a one-time update. 

Go to https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/ber/wage-and-hour/paid-medical-leave-act. If you have specific questions, please contact Amy Upton.

Michigan Unemployment System Replacement Coming Feb. 23;

What Employers Need to Know

– From the MI Chamber

What’s new: The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) is replacing the Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) with a new tax and benefits system, MiUI. The tax functions go live Monday, Feb. 23.

Why it matters: When phase one of MiUI for tax goes live, employers and third-party administrators (TPAs) will use the new platform for tax functions such as filing quarterly wage and tax reports, uploading wage files, registering as a new business, and more.

• Phase two for benefits will launch later, meaning there will be a short period when tax functions are handled in MiUI while benefits functions remain in MiWAM.

What’s next: The UIA recommends employers take these five steps now to ensure a smoother launch and uninterrupted reporting:

• Set up system administrators and users. Ensure that all future administrators and any other users for your Employer/TPA have a MiLogin for Business account.
• Verify MiWAM access. Confirm that you can log in and have key details ready, including your MiUI Activation Code, to start your MiUI account.
• Update your account info. Check and update contact details, payment methods and user permissions in MiWAM.
• Review your current TPA-employer associations and role assignments to understand what roles the TPAs will have in MiUI.
• Prepare wage reporting. Review MiUI wage report formats and test files with the Wage Report File Validation tool before your first submission.

Go deeper: Visit MiUI University for more details.

Are you Ready for a Visit from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)?

Recent changes in immigration enforcement, coupled with increased media attention, have heightened concerns within the landscape and horticulture industry regarding potential workplace enforcement actions. We’ve compiled resources and guidance from AmericanHort and other Green Industry Associations to assist members in maintaining compliance and responding effectively to any enforcement activity.

Please click HERE to see and download these resources.

NCLC – 50th Anniversary!

Go Green, Go White!

From Steven Peterson, MSU, NCLC ’26 Volunteer Coordinator

We are excited to host the 2026 National Collegiate Landscape Competition at Michigan State University in beautiful East Lansing, Michigan! 

Check out this promotional video if you haven’t seen it already.  

National Collegiate Landscape Competition (NCLC)

As many of you know, approximately 750 students representing more than 50 colleges and universities from across the United States and Canada will gather in East Lansing, Michigan from March 16-21, 2026. Students will participate in one or more of 30 diverse events ranging from landscape design, plant identification, plant problem diagnosis, and equipment operation - to business management, construction cost estimating, and sales presentations. In addition to the competitions, students will attend landscape industry workshops, network with professionals from across the country at the career fair and help host the event at Michigan State University.

There are many, many opportunities for you to volunteer throughout the entire week of March 16-21, 2026.  While we are grateful for any level of support, we would truly appreciate it if everyone could sign up for as many events as possible to help ensure the success of this effort. Please use the link below to access the volunteering opportunities. 

National Collegiate Landscape Competition: 2026 National Collegiate Landscape Competition Volunteer Signup

For planning purposes, please sign up as early as possible so we know where we need additional support. This will help me keep my sanity. 

We have Room 101 reserved in the Kellogg Center Hotel for volunteers to meet, pick up your complimentary volunteer T-shirt, and/or just hang out until needed when you are available. Although the Kellogg Center Hotel is the hub for this year’s NCLC event, you can receive most of your updated information, maps, and details from NALP’s Engagefully App, which can be accessed from an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Android phone, or tablet.

https://appdownload.rdmobile.com/ef/national-association-of-landscape-professionals/190

I am sure there will be many questions, and don’t hesitate to send them to me. With that said, there are a lot of moving parts, so please be patient.

Thank you for your support and commitment. We look forward to working with you as we showcase our profession and create an outstanding experience for students and industry partners alike. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to Email me at the address below.

Steven W. Peterson

Volunteer Coordinator | NCLC ’26

East Lansing, Michigan

Pete1504@msu.edu

2026 Green Industry Legislative Day – March 18, 2026, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm –

There is no charge to attend but we do need you to register.

Register NOW to join your colleagues for a day of grassroots involvement to raise awareness of and promote the size and scope of Michigan's Green Industry. This event is critical for the defense of your interests at the State Capitol! We'll start with an informational session providing protocol on the legislative system and the message we'll be delivering to each legislative office. From there we'll form groups and systematically visit each office in the State Legislature.

Please click HERE for more information and to register now.

Need a better way to track jobs, employees, inventory, take votes or customer requests — but not sure how to build it?

MNLA Members now have access to complimentary help creating custom Google Sheets, Forms, Docs, and simple automation tools within the Google Suite. If you can describe what you want to organize or improve, I can build a working system for you. 

Why Google Workspace instead of Microsoft?

• It’s FREE! 
• Sharing: You can share any Google Suite document with specific people only or everyone with the link.
• Permissions: You can control who can edit the document, who can’t edit, who can only view it, and who can’t edit but can comment on it. (Edit, Comment, and View.)
• Updates: Google Suite updates instantly on all devices. You can watch someone type on a Google Doc/Sheet.
• Availability: You can access anything Google from anywhere: work, home, while riding in a car, etc.
• Automations: Set up emails to be automatically sent from a spreadsheet based on a condition. 
• Google → Microsoft: Any Microsoft document can be instantly converted into a Google doc, and vice versa. 

READ MORE...

As a landscaper, you rely heavily on your fleet of business vehicles — ranging from crew trucks to trailers — to get the job done. While the work brings you and your clients satisfaction, being on the road so often means you’re exposed to inherent risk.

Someone could crash into your crew truck while your team is on its way to a job site, or your vehicles can damage someone’s property or cause bodily harm while transporting materials. Despite these factors, many businesses underinsure or misclassify vehicles, leading to higher premiums or denied claims.

Whether you’re planning on updating your fleet this spring or simply reviewing your insurance costs, continue reading to get a better understanding of why carrying a commercial auto policy is important — as compared to your personal auto insurance — and the ways you can lower the cost of this critical protection while reducing risk.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE...

Visit the MNLA/Gallagher | Affinity Portal for customized solutions

to keep your business growing.

Thank you to the

2026 Great Lakes Trade Expo Exhibiting and Sponsoring Firms!

2026 GLTE Exhibiting Firms

Trade Show Gold Level & MNLA Platinum Level Partner

Trade Show Gold Level

Trade Show Bronze Level

Trade Show Bronze Level

Trade Show Bronze Level

Attendee Coffee

Wi-Fi

Annual Meeting

Lunch/Network Area

Lunch/Network Area

Trade Show Aisle Banner

Attendee Bag

Lanyard

Lanyard

Show App

Casino Night

Attendee Coffee

Attendee Coffee

Trade Show Silver Level

Welcome Gardens

Young Professionals CONNECT! Coffee & Conversation

Upcoming Education & Events

FEBRUARY 2026

February 24: Developing Great Crew Leaders Workshop (Virtual) - Presented by Phil Harwood. The heart of this workshop is the Great Crew Leader Scoring Guide, which is a 5-part assessment for each crew leader and manager to complete during the workshop. Each part covers one of the five primary roles of a crew leader: worker, driver, supervisor, trainer, and leader. This scoring guide then becomes an excellent tool for reassessment and continued improvement. Register HERE

MARCH 2026

March 10: Landscape Design Workshop at the Holiday Inn Grand Rapids Airport – 3026 Lake Eastbrook Blvd. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49515

Pricing: $149 for MNLA Members, $199 for Non-members

Elevate your skills as a Landscape Designer in a full-day workshop dedicated to enhancing your design process. You will expand your knowledge of sustainable design from plant selection to hardscaping and find effective, innovative ways to interview your clients and develop a comprehensive process that will ultimately save time and energy. With a strong emphasis on ecologically appropriate planting plans and water-wise techniques, you'll develop a deeper palette of plants to choose from with experts Matthew Ross (The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park) and John Clese (Restoration Earth; Lake Effect Garden & Design, LLC). The program includes a series of hands-on design scenarios and is perfect for new designers and seasoned pros. All materials and a boxed lunch will be included. Class Size is limited to 20 individuals. Register HERE

March 13: Pesticide Winter Series in Clinton Twp, MI. Register HERE

March 18: Green Industry Legislative Day, Downtown Lansing, MI. Email Amy@MNLA.org or call (517) 381-0437 to register to attend.

Michigan Nursery & Landscape Association

517.381.0437

www.MNLA.org