MN HF2424

Employers with 50+ employees (or 50+ employees working 1,500+ hours per week) must notify the Minnesota Commissioner of Employment and Economic Development at least 120 days before relocating a call center or 30%+ of its operations to a foreign country.

Employers violating the notification requirement are subject to civil penalties up to $10,000 per day, and the commissioner compiles semiannual lists of relocating employers.

Employers on the relocation list are ineligible for state grants or guaranteed loans for five years and must repay the unamortized value of previously received grants, guaranteed loans, tax benefits, and other governmental support.

The commissioner of management and budget may waive ineligibility requirements if the employer demonstrates that denial would threaten national security, result in substantial Minnesota job loss, or harm the environment.

State contractors performing call center and customer service work must keep all operations within Minnesota, with existing out-of-state contractors having two years to comply; employees separated from relocating employers retain eligibility for unemployment compensation and other state benefits.