MN Nursing Home Workers Win Legal Fight to Protect Standards Board

Wyatt

May. 28, 2025

"The board gives us a seat at the table and now we can move forward on the real work like fixing staffing shortages and improving care. - Vikki Knigge, LPN, The Shores of Worthington

AFSCME Council 65 is celebrating a major legal victory for nursing home workers and residents: a federal judge has dismissed the lawsuit brought by LeadingAge Minnesota and Care Providers of Minnesota(a coalition of Employers) aimed at eliminating the Minnesota Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board.

The lawsuit attempted to overturn a rule guaranteeing time-and-a-half pay on 11 state holidays and dismantle the Board itself. In her ruling, Federal District Court Judge Laura Provinzino rejected the claims brought by the industry, affirming that the holiday pay rule simply sets a new minimum labor standard and does not violate federal law.

A Board Built by and for Workers

Established in 2023, the Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board is the first in the country dedicated to setting labor standards for nursing home workers. It includes representatives from workers, employers, and state government. Its mission: address the staffing crisis by raising wages and improving job conditions to retain and recruit qualified caregivers.

Wins by the Board so far:

Guaranteed time-and-a-half pay for workers on 11 recognized holidays.
Minimum wage increases for key nursing home roles over the next three years:
- $24/hour for Certified Nursing Assistants
- $25/hour for Trained Medication Aides
- $28.50/hour for Licensed Practical Nurses
A collaborative, tripartite structure with equal voices from workers, employers, and the state.

Despite unanimous agreement that Minnesota faces a nursing home staffing crisis, the employer representatives on the Board abstained from voting on both the holiday pay and wage floor proposals.

"This decision sends a clear message: Minnesota values its nursing home workforce. The Board gives us a seat at the table, and now we can move forward on the real work like fixing staffing shortages and improving care," commented Vikki Knigge, LPN at The Shores of Worthington.

With the lawsuit behind them, workers are doubling down on efforts to make long-term care a career in which people can thrive. AFSCME Council 65 remains committed to ensuring every caregiver is respected, protected, and paid what they deserve.