Executive Order 15-17 recognizes counselor training for military veterans through the American Red Cross as an appropriate use of leave time for state employees

ST. PAUL, MN - Governor Mark Dayton has taken executive action to recognize training mental health counselors for military veterans, through the American Red Cross, as an appropriate use of leave time for state employees.

Under current law, State of Minnesota employees are allowed to take up to 15 days of paid leave per year to provide specialized disaster relief services. But training mental health counselors for military veterans was not previously explicitly recognized by the state as specialized disaster relief service, resulting in employee requests not qualifying for leave.

Recognizing that the need for mental health counselors for military veterans is significant both in Minnesota and throughout the United States, and that the American Red Cross is an internationally recognized disaster relief organization, the Governor's Executive Order directs Minnesota Management and Budget to recognize the training of mental health counselors for military veterans, through the American Red Cross, as an appropriate use of leave time for state employees.

The Executive Order can be found in full /governor/assets/EO-15-17_tcm1055-115130.pdfon the Governor's website.