2025 Session Last amended: 1997 session

§ 181.15 — When Employee Not Entitled to Benefits

Plain-Language Summary

This section describes when an employee loses (forfeits) the wage-payment protections of sections 181.13 to 181.171. An employee who hides, stays away to avoid receiving payment, or refuses wages that are fully tendered is not entitled to those benefits for the time spent avoiding payment. It also sets a special timing rule for strikes: wages already due to striking employees when the strike begins do not become payable until the next regular payday after the strike starts.

181.15 WHEN EMPLOYEE NOT ENTITLED TO BENEFITS.

No such servant or employee who hides or stays away to avoid receiving payment, or refuses to receive the same when fully tendered, shall be entitled to any benefit under sections 181.13 to 181.171 for such time as so avoiding payment; provided, when any number of employees enter upon a strike the wages due such striking employees at the time of entering upon such strike shall not become due until the next regular payday after the commencement of such strike.

History:

(4129) 1919 c 175 s 3; 1986 c 444; 1997 c 7 art 1 s 86

History: History: (4129) 1919 c 175 s 3; 1986 c 444; 1997 c 7 art 1 s 86

Practical Notes

This is an exception rule, not a right to demand wages. If an employer fully offers (tenders) an employee’s wages and the employee dodges or refuses the payment, the employee cannot then claim the prompt-payment penalties for that period. Workers and employers dealing with a strike should also note that wages owed at the moment a strike begins are not due until the next regular payday after the strike starts. For the underlying right to be paid after quitting or discharge, see sections 181.13 and 181.14.

Source: Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes