Unprecedented minimum wages for thousands of nursing home workers in Minnesota have been delayed once again. Leah Solo, head of the state’s Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board, announced the hold-up during a recent board meeting, explaining that the Trump administration has reset its review timeline to day one.
The new laws require nursing staff to earn a minimum of $19 per hour this year, set to rise to $20.50 by 2027. CMS approval is crucial as it promises $18 million to support the salary increases through Minnesota's Medicaid program.
This marks the second bureaucratic delay for wages originally scheduled to take effect on January 1. Complications have arisen during a lawsuit filed by nursing homes challenging the workforce board's authority.
CMS has 90 days to review the funding request but can extend this time if they need more information. As of now, the specific details requested from Minnesota's Department of Human Services remain unclear.
This wage floor initiative is pioneering in Minnesota and reflects a resurgence of labor-focused policies reminiscent of the New Deal era, aimed at improving standards across the nursing home industry.
