WC Minnesota News

Sen. Paul Utke (R-Park Rapids) said the vote to remove Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) Commissioner Nancy Leppink wasn't a sudden decision, but came with the extreme difficulty she made it to work with her over the past years. 

“Over the years, she has failed to make unbiased and informed decisions about youth employment and even tried to stop 16 and 17-year-olds from mowing lawns for money. She was unable to give businesses she shuttered an alternative to operation," Utke said in a press release from the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus. "At one point, Commissioner Leppink re-interpreted wage-theft legislation passed in 2019 and distributed misleading information to businesses across the state. When she was notified of these issues in October of 2019, she didn’t update the information for another eight months, leaving businesses confused about how to comply."

Utke said Gov. Tim Walz shouldn't take the decision as a surprise, especially since she was moved to the Senate floor without being recommended by the Senate Jobs Committee. 

“The governor should not be surprised by our actions," Utke said in the press release. "The legislature informed him of the issues many times, with no changes resulting. When someone does not do their job well, they should be removed, regardless of qualifications.”