HF 4446 Summary

• Establishes a workforce incentive fund grant program administered by the Commissioner of Human Services to help behavioral health, housing, disability, and home and community-based older adult providers recruit and retain direct support and frontline workers, effective July 1, 2022.

• Eligible workers earning $30 per hour or less with at least six months in an eligible profession may receive up to $5,000 annually for retention payments, education loan/tuition payments, child care costs, transportation costs, or other commissioner-approved retention and recruitment costs.

• Designates workforce incentive grant payments as a tax subtraction under Minnesota income tax law, effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2021.

• Excludes workforce incentive grant payments from income and asset calculations for determining eligibility in child care assistance, food support, housing support, family investment programs, and economic assistance programs.

• Authorizes the commissioner to audit grantees up to six years after award to ensure proper use of funds and to recoup any overpayments used for unauthorized purposes.