The article below is a top story from this week's ACTION newsletter—Care Providers of Minnesota's weekly newsletter for members. The newsletter focuses on current legislative issues, regulations, long-term care trends, and other Association news. Each Thursday evening, it is delivered to your inbox. To sign up for ACTION, contact Lisa Foss Olson (952-851-2483). To learn more about membership, visit our Become a Member page.

 

---

Application posted for certified worker organization

By Todd Bergstrom  |  March 28, 2025  |  SNF/NF providers


The Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board’s (NHWSB’s) statute includes a requirement that:

While the requirement began on January 1, 2025, there are presently no certified worker organizations (CWOs) to provide one hour of mandated training. 

The CWO application is now posted here.

Note statute has restrictive criteria for selecting CWOs that intentionally seem to allow only a union to become a CWO. The following criteria must be met by an applicant.

• Organization is exempt from federal income taxation under IRS code (check box) 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4) or 501 (c)(5)
• Organization is not dominated or interfered with by any nursing home employer with the meaning of US Code, Title 29, section 158a (2); provide a list of the board of directors
• Organization has at least five years of demonstrated experience engaging with and advocating for nursing home workers; specify evidence of this experience and advocacy

More CWO background
Stature requires the CWO to provide instruction during the mandated one hour of training that includes the following:

• The applicable compensation and working conditions in the minimum standards or local minimum standards established by the board
• The antiretaliation protections established in section 181.216
• Information on how to enforce sections 181.211 to 181.217 and on how to report violations of sections 181.211 to 181.217 or of standards established by the board, including contact information for the department of labor and industry, the board, and any local enforcement agencies, and information on the remedies available for violations
• The purposes and functions of the board and information on upcoming hearings, investigations, or other opportunities for nursing home workers to become involved in board proceedings
• Other rights, duties, and obligations under sections 181.211 to 181.217
• Any updates or changes to the information provided according to clauses (1) to (5) since the most recent training session
• Any other information the board deems appropriate to facilitate compliance with sections 181.211 to 181.217
• Information on labor standards in other applicable local, state, and federal laws, rules, and ordinances regarding nursing home working conditions or nursing home worker health and safety

At the recent February 13, 2025 meeting, the Board approved the Certification of Worker Organizations and Worker Training Guide. The training guide’s contents include the following:

Guide for the NHWSB

• Review of applications criteria
• Board documentation requirements
• Timeline

Guide for nursing home employers

• Documentation requirements
• Timeline

Guide for worker organizations

• Application
• Documentation requirements
• Timeline
• Curriculum (The Board, as directed by statute, has developed curriculum).
• Content
• Sample presentation
• Sample follow-up document

Please contact Todd Bergstrom at the Association office if you have any questions. 


Todd Bergstrom  |  Director of Research & Data Analysis  |   tbergstrom@careproviders.org  |  952-851-2486

---

 

Become a Member

As a member of Care Providers of Minnesota, you will join with fellow professionals across the state who understand the importance of working together to the benefit of the entire long-term care profession. The strength of our membership has established our place as one of the state’s leading trade associations.