Minnesota Borrowed Journeyman Proposal

What the Proposed Borrowed Journeyman Arrangement Would Address

The Minnesota Board of Electricity evaluated a proposal to modify Minnesota Rules so a contractor could temporarily borrow a licensed Journeyman from another firm strictly to cover a Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML)-related absence. This is a proposal, not a current general exception for staffing projects.

Do not treat the proposal as permission to borrow Journeymen for ordinary labor shortages, deadline-critical phases, or general project staffing.

What the Proposal Would Need to Address

The market research identifies these implementation requirements:

• PFML-related absence only — the proposal was evaluated to address leave-related vacancies, not to create a general labor-sharing arrangement
• iMS tracking — the iMS platform would need to be updated to track leave status
• Registered-employer verification — the system would need to verify that both workers remain under a registered electrical employer

Until the proposal is adopted and implementation details are published, do not assume which contractor would bear employment, insurance, workers' compensation, supervision, or permit responsibility.

Why the Proposal Was Discussed

Board of Electricity meeting materials described disruptions caused by PFML leave, including difficulty maintaining the legally required 1-to-2 supervisor-to-apprentice ratio. The borrowed Journeyman proposal was evaluated as a response to those leave-related vacancies.

It should not be read as an adopted rule or as a replacement for the existing licensing and supervision requirements.

What the Proposal Does Not Establish

The research does not establish a current cross-contractor staffing exception. In particular:

• It is not general staffing permission — the proposal is described as limited to PFML-related absences
• It is not an active rule — do not rely on it until DLI publishes an adopted rule and operating instructions
• Its final responsibilities are not established here — contractors should confirm the final permit, supervision, insurance, and workers' compensation requirements directly with DLI

Using an unadopted proposal as authority to staff a project could expose a contractor to enforcement under the existing licensing framework.

Impact on Experience Hours

For apprentices working alongside a proposed borrowed Journeyman, the supervision structure matters for experience verification. The research requires supervision by a licensed Journeyman or Master employed by the same company, but it does not establish how the proposal would affect apprentice-hour credit.

If you're an apprentice on a project affected by this proposal, confirm with DLI that your direct supervisor is employed by the same contractor who employs you before counting the hours.

The Minnesota Electrician License Guide covers the supervision and employment structures that affect your hour documentation across different project arrangements.

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