Spencer Fane attorney Randi Winter was recently quoted in a Star Tribune article discussing how companies can manage overall policies and specific requests to pay for home office equipment in the new hybrid work-model. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), nearly 70% of U.S. office workers now embrace a hybrid work schedule or work completely from home.
In the article, In the New Hybrid World, Should Employers Be Reimbursing Home-Office Expenses, Randi shares the two relevant, but limited Minnesota laws, describing a statute that requires employers to reimburse a departing worker in a “timely fashion” but only for work-related equipment that is never used for personal use. The other, generally, says employers can’t force staff to foot the bill for work equipment if doing so would push their pay below the minimum wage. Randi notes that beyond that, companies must figure out their own best practice.
Randi suggests reviewing Minnesota’s remote-work policy, saying, “It clearly states the state will reimburse expenses only if preapproved. And, it won’t cover operating costs for remote work locations beyond providing a computer.”
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