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Effective Jan. 1, 2024, Minnesota’s earned sick and safe time law requires employers to provide paid leave to employees who work in the state. Minnesota’s current sick and safe leave law remains in effect until Dec. 31, 2023 and will be replaced by the new earned sick and safe time law on Jan. 1, 2024. More information HERE.

MINNESOTA PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE

What is sick and safe time?

Sick and safe time is paid leave employers must provide to employees in Minnesota that can be used for certain reasons, including when an employee is sick, to care for a sick family member or to seek assistance if an employee or their family member has experienced domestic abuse.

Who is eligible for sick and safe time?

An employee is eligible for sick and safe time if they:

• work at least 80 hours in a year for an employer in Minnesota; and
• are not an independent contractor.

Temporary and part-time employees are eligible for sick and safe time. Sick and safe time requirements will not apply to building and construction industry employees who are represented by a building and construction trades labor organization if a valid waiver of these requirements is provided in a collective bargaining agreement.

To help employers with this issue, the WDB is hosting a meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 19^th from 10 to 11 a.m  via zoom.

There is no cost to attend the virtual meeting.

Please RSVP to:  darla.wallraff@co.dakota.mn.us She’ll send the zoom link.

Who should attend? 

Any organization who is wondering how this program affects them and how they might need to adjust their policies.

Speakers will include: 

Dave Skovholt, Systems, Communications and Educational Interventions Principal, MN Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) and Kate Bischoff, an employment law attorney.  Anita Drentlaw, WDB member and President of New Market Bank will moderate.

YAY - the Gala is only 6 weeks away! Grab your colleagues, your significant others, your clients – all are welcome to join! This is our premier social event of the entire year! Register HERE or email Brenda to get you signed up!

Members – if you have a business in 55044, and you have not seen the information on the short 10-minute business survey from the City, please email me and I will get you the link. This is our opportunity to provide feedback to City Staff and Council as they are updating their Envision Lakeville priorities for the next 10 years.

If you have not had the opportunity to hear Erik Therwanger speak, I highly recommend you invest 90-minutes of your time for this event. Erik is a national speaker and author and we have the honor of having him right here in our community. I have heard him speak many times and I still walk away with pages of notes every time I attend a session.  

NEW this year! We are joining the Burnsville and Savage Chambers for one of their Progressive Luncheons! This luncheon all takes place at Crystal Lake Golf Course on October 24. We just play music tables a little bit! We are limited on spaces, first come first serve so sign up early!

Are you an independent business owner in Dakota County

• Feeling overwhelmed with your growing business and struggling to manage it?
• Realizing you can’t do it all and need to build a team?
• Wanting to develop strategic plans, processes, and organizational structure to achieve sustainable and profitable expansion?
• No longer needing to chase sales but want to strategically invest time and resources to capture new markets, new industries, or new products?
• Recognizing the impact growing businesses make on the local economy, the Dakota County CDA is offering the CEO Next program to Dakota County businesses.

What businesses are eligible?

• For-profit, privately-held businesses
• 10 – 99 employees
• Annual revenue between $1 Million – $50 Million
• Ready to transition from small to large – past start-up state but not yet mature
• Appetite and aptitude for growth

What is It?

The Dakota County CDA provides scholarships for owners of “second stage” growing businesses to participate in the CEO Next Business Institute. Dakota County CDA has funding to sponsor three local businesses.

Over the eight-month program, participants receive:

• Expertise. Approximately 40 – 50 hours of advanced research from a team of topical experts and research specialists located throughout the country.
• Peer learning. CEO round tables (8 half-day sessions) provide confidential space where participants can share challenges and experiences with a small cohort of other noncompeting industry CEOs. Roundtables meet once a month during the program and are led by an experienced facilitator.
• Forum events. Forums are held monthly with a guest speaker, typically an entrepreneur who has grown their business, who will share successes and struggles while answering audience questions.

Click for more information. CEO Next Business Institute - Dakota County Community Development Agency (dakotacda.org)

Thank you to all of the businesses who donated treats and trinkets to our new teachers for the 2023-24 school year! And thank you to our Ambassadors, Foundation Board Members and MN School of Beauty staff for helping us to stuff all 125 bags! They will be in the hands of our new teachers at both ISD194 and our private schools over the next week!

SAY HELLO TO THE FAIR MASCOT

It's that time of year to join thousands of fellow Minnesotans at the Great Minnesota Get-Together. Enjoy fun, food, and entertainment while soaking up the last days of summer. The Minnesota State Fair is one of the largest and best-attended expositions in the world. Showcasing Minnesota's finest agriculture, art and industry, the Great Minnesota Get-Together is 12 Days of Fun Ending Labor Day. The 2023 Minnesota State Fair runs Aug. 24-Labor Day, Sept. 4.

PLENTY OF FOOD FOR EVERYONE

This might sound corny, but many Minnesotans wait all year for the Minnesota State Fair and the ever-popular Corn Roast is one of the fair's more than 300 concessionaires and 500 different foods. 

GATHER THE KIDDOS

The Giant Slide is one of the Minnesota State Fair's most popular permanent attractions and the Kidway offers 30 attractions and plenty of concessions for the littlest fair fans. Mighty Midway features rides, games of skill and food concessions

Thank you for your support!