Purpose

• This bill provides a one-time funding grant to support Hired’s workforce development efforts. It aims to expand career pathway programs, job training, and placement services that connect lowerskilled job seekers to entry-level and gateway jobs in 110 high-growth sectors. It also funds services for low-income Minnesotans to improve job retention and create a more stable workforce for employers, using a continuum of employment coaching, navigation, and support for economically disadvantaged employees.

Main provisions

• Appropriates $700,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $700,000 in fiscal year 2027 from the workforce development fund.
• The money is funded to the commissioner of employment and economic development (DEED) to provide a grant to Hired.
• Grant purposes include:
  • Expanding Hired’s workforce development programming and services.
  • Enhancing the career pathway, job training, and placement program that connects lowerskilled job seekers to entry-level and gateway jobs in 110 high-growth sectors.
  • Creating services for low-income Minnesotans to increase job retention and build a more stable workforce for employers.
  • Providing a continuum of employment coaching, navigation, and support services to economically disadvantaged employees.
• The appropriations are described as one-time.

Significant changes to existing law

• This bill creates a new one-time appropriation from the workforce development fund to DEED for a grant to Hired. It does not describe other changes to existing statutes beyond establishing this funding in the specified fiscal years.

Relevant terms

• workforce development fund
• grant
• Hired
• commissioner of employment and economic development (DEED)
• career pathway
• job training
• placement program
• lowerskilled / low-skilled
• entry-level
• gateway jobs
• 110 high-growth sectors
• low-income Minnesotans
• job retention
• economically disadvantaged
• employment coaching
• navigation
• support services
• one-time appropriations
• fiscal year 2026
• fiscal year 2027