Minnesota Statutes Insurance (Ch. 59A-79a) § 79.253. Assigned risk safety account

Subdivision 1. Creation of account. There is created the assigned risk safety account as a separate account in the special compensation fund in the state treasury. Income earned by funds in the account must be credited to the account. Principal and income of the account are annually appropriated to the commissioner of labor and industry to establish and promote workplace safety and health programs.

Subd. 2. Use of funds; safety assessments. The assigned risk plan shall, through persons under contract with the plan, perform on-site surveys of employers insured by the assigned risk plan and recommend practices and equipment to employers designed to reduce the risk of injury to employees. The recommendations may include that the employer form a joint labor-management safety committee. The plan shall generally survey employers in the following priority:

Subd. 2a. Eligible applicants. An employer is eligible to apply for a grant or loan under this section if the employer meets the following requirements:

Subd. 3. Incentives and penalties. The assigned risk plan shall develop a premium rating system subject to approval by the commissioner of commerce that provides a reduction in premium rates for employers that follow safety recommendations made under this section and an increase in rates for employers that do not. The system must be sensitive to the economic ability of an employer to implement particular recommendations.

Subd. 4. Grants and loans. The commissioner of labor and industry may make grants or loans to employers for the cost of implementing safety recommendations made under this section.

Subd. 5. Rules. The commissioner of labor and industry may adopt rules necessary to implement this section.