ST. PAUL, Minn. - Finding a decent, affordable place to live in Minnesota isn't getting any easier, according to a new national study, showing that Minnesota falls dead last out of a dozen Midwestern states in rental affordability. The report says Minnesota rents have increased 32 percent in the last decade, and as much as 56 percent in some rural counties.
Leigh Rosenberg, research and outreach manager with the Minnesota Housing Partnership (MHP), says the gap between what a wage earner should be making in order to afford rental housing, and the reality of what such a person actually earns, is growing.
"A family would either have to have 2.2 minimum-wage earners working full-time, or one person at the minimum wage would have to work 87 hours per week, to be able to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment here in our state."
According to MHP, to be able to afford rent and utilities for a safe, modest two-bedroom apartment in the private housing market, a Minnesota worker must earn almost $16 per hour, 40 hours a week, year-round. That rate jumps to almost 18 dollars an hour in the Twin Cities. However, the typical Minnesota renter earns $11.61 per hour, and a minimum wage earner makes an hourly wage of only $7.25.
Of the 13 least-affordable counties in the state, only one is in the metro area. While rents in the Twin Cities are the most expensive, Rosenberg says there's more inventory to pick from.
"Not only do workers in more rural areas make less money to begin with, there can be a shortage of rental housing, which can really push prices up. So, there is a serious affordability gap there, in greater Minnesota."
Rosenberg points out that almost everyone is a renter at some point in life, whether they're students or retirees, people saving for a house, or newly foreclosed on. So, she believes the rental option needs to be taken seriously, both by Congress and the Minnesota Legislature.
"When we have communities that everyone can afford to live in - where workers of all different backgrounds and all different incomes have a place that's safe and affordable for them to live - this actually increases the vitality of our communities and makes our state a better place to live."
Aitkin, Big Stone, Mille Lacs and Winona top the list of least affordable counties, where at least 65 percent of renters are unable to afford a two-bedroom apartment.
State-specific data from the study can be found at: www.mhponline.org
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With hotter summers bringing hotter working conditions, the Maryland Department of Labor is implementing a heat stress standard to protect workers but workers' advocates said it falls short on specifics.
In 2020, the Legislature directed the Labor Department to establish new heat stress protections for workers. A draft standard was released in January for indoor or outdoor work environments when the heat index is above 80 degrees.
Darryl Alexander, adviser for the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, said the plan does not establish specifics for monitoring.
"They ought to be required to say how they're going to monitor the workplace for changes in temperature, humidity, heat index," Alexander asserted. "The way they require to monitor the workplace for noise, or chemicals or anything else - that, in their written plans, they have to say how they're going to do it."
Alexander argued ideally, employers would be required to use what's known as a "wet bulb globe temperature meter," which monitors the heat index as well as measuring radiant heat from sources such as ovens or sunlight.
The draft standard requires employers to put an effective heat illness prevention and management plan in writing and provide workers annual heat stress training. When the heat index reaches 90, it requires employers to consider the effects of personal protective equipment on heat stress but there are no specifics on how to do it.
Scott Schneider, another adviser for the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, said how hard you are working and what you are wearing can both contribute to heat stress.
"If you're working and you're wearing impermeable clothing; like you're wearing, like a Tyvek suit, like you're doing asbestos abatement, or if you're out in the fields and you have protective clothing to protect you from pesticide use; that clothing can prevent you from sweating," Schneider noted. "That also will increase your heat stress risk."
He added when calculating heat stress risk, there are methods to account for protective clothing or harder work. He thinks the standard should include specifics on both. The Department of Labor is expected to have the plan finalized by this summer.
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Minnesota is among the states taking a closer look at extending unemployment benefits to workers who go on strike. A bill making its way through the Legislature would make workers involved in a walkout of at least one week eligible for jobless benefits.
In the past year, labor economists have said, there's been positive movement with wage growth. However, backers of Minnesota's plan are pointing to major gaps between corporate profits and the pay most workers receive.
When those individuals want to fight for fair compensation, Jake Schwitzer, executive director of the left-leaning think tank North Star Policy Action, said they're at a big disadvantage in taking on ownership.
"They can use their considerable profits to engage in bad-faith negotiating tactics, and simply wait out their poorly paid workers," he said.
During labor disputes, Schwitzer said, providing unemployment benefits alleviates hardships and empowers workers to keep fighting.
Critics have cited the potential costs and disincentivizing people to work. However, research from Schwitzer's group estimates fewer than 200 additional workers are added to the unemployment rolls in these cases.
Nearly 10 other states have either debated or enacted similar laws.
John Kontzelmann, secretary-treasurer of UAW Local 125, said a walkout is viewed as a last resort, while noting the recent auto workers' strike was a tough choice for many of his colleagues.
"The uncertainty of no or reduced income, for an unknown amount of time, was very stressful and worrying," he said.
Without small levels of assistance from a union strike fund, Kontzelmann said, making ends meet would have been even more challenging for workers and their families.
The Minnesota bill cleared a House committee this week. It's unclear if it will win final legislative approval.
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Critics say a bill passed by West Virginia lawmakers increases the bureaucratic red tape folks who rely on unemployment benefits have to navigate and could financially hurt families already struggling with the high cost of living and ongoing inflation.
Kelly Allen, executive director with the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy, said the bill includes new reporting from employers and job research requirements for recipients, but keeps the maximum number of benefits available at 26 weeks.
"Safety-net kind of programs like this, that help bridge families between jobs and keep them economically secure, is a really important tool," Allen said.
Senate Bill 841 also limits the amount of money employers pay into the unemployment fund to $9,500 of an employee's earnings. Supporters of the bill argue the state's trust fund is in peril and say the measure helps save money. The bill goes into effect on July 1.
Allen pointed out that research shows unemployment insurance helps families stay afloat during economic downturns, and provides continuous income for basic household needs. She added that unemployment insurance has also been linked to reduced rates of child abuse and neglect.
"We know that generous unemployment insurance and robust unemployment insurance benefits mitigate the impact that those economic shocks have on families and the data shows can actually reduce child welfare involvement, " Allen continued.
According to state data, the state's unemployment rate was nearly 5% as of the beginning of this year.
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