Chapter 181 — Equal Pay for Equal Work Law

15.001 Application of Laws 2005, Chapter 56, Terminology Changes State agencies must use updated terminology from a 2005 law when they replace printed materials and signs. 181.001 This section has been repealed or is a placeholder. 181.01 Wages of Minors; to Whom Paid A parent or guardian who wants to claim a minor child's wages must tell the employer. If they do not, paying the child … 181.02 Salary or Wages Not to Be Paid by Nonnegotiable Instruments This section makes it unlawful for an employer (other than a public service corporation) to pay an employee's earned … 181.03 Certain Acts Relating to Payment of Wages Unlawful It is illegal for a Minnesota employer to make it look like an employee was paid more than they actually received, to … 181.031 Employers Not to Accept Consideration for Securing Employment This section prohibits an employer (or any manager, supervisor, or other representative of the employer) from demanding … 181.032 Required Statement of Earnings by Employer; Notice to Employee Minnesota employers must give every employee a detailed pay stub each pay period showing hours worked, pay rate, … 181.04 Assignment, Sale, or Transfer of Wages; When Not Effective This section governs the assignment, sale, or transfer of wages or salary not yet earned. Such an assignment gives the … 181.041 Garnishment; Assignment, Sale, or Transfer of Wages; When Not Effective If an employee's wages are about to be garnished (taken to pay a debt), any attempt to transfer, assign, or sell those … 181.05 Consent of Employer to Assignment Required This section makes any assignment, sale, or transfer of unearned wages or salary (wages not yet earned at the time of … 181.06 Assignment of Wages; Payroll Deductions Minnesota limits how far into the future an employee's wages can be assigned or transferred. Any assignment of wages … 181.063 Assignment of Wages, Public Employees This section gives public employees the same right to assign their wages as private-sector workers. Officers and … 181.07 Assignment of Unearned Wages as Security This section sets the conditions under which an assignment of, or order for, wages a worker has not yet earned can be … 181.08 Public Service Corporations; Payment of Wages, Requirements Public service corporations doing business in Minnesota must pay their employees at least twice a month, covering wages … 181.09 Recovery of Wages, Costs This section lets employees of a public service corporation that neglects or refuses to pay their wages (as required … 181.10 Wages Paid Every 15 Days Employers must pay workers on transitory or itinerant jobs (such as building, paving, repairing, or maintaining roads or … 181.101 Wages; How Often Paid Employers in Minnesota must pay employees their wages at least once every 31 days and commissions at least once every … 181.11 Discharged Employee Must Be Paid Within 24 Hours When a temporary or traveling worker's job ends (whether the work is done, they quit, or they are fired), the employer … 181.12 This section has been repealed or renumbered and no longer contains operative law. Consult the current Minnesota … 181.13 Penalty for Failure to Pay Wages Promptly When an employer fires an employee, all earned wages and commissions are due right away. If the employer does not pay … 181.14 Payment to Employees Who Quit or Resign; Settlement of Disputes When an employee quits or resigns, the employer must pay all earned wages by the first regular payday after the … 181.141 Sexual Harassment or Abuse Settlement; Payment as Severance or Wages Prohibited In a settlement between an employer and an employee that resolves a claim of sexual harassment or abuse, any financial … 181.145 Prompt Payment of Commissions to Commission Salespeople When a commission salesperson's job ends, the employer must promptly pay all commissions the salesperson earned through … 181.15 When Employee Not Entitled to Benefits This section describes when an employee loses (forfeits) the wage-payment protections of sections 181.13 to 181.171. An … 181.16 Construction of Sections 181.13 to 181.171 This section explains how the wage-payment rules in sections 181.13 to 181.171 are to be applied. It provides that those … 181.165 Wage Protection; Construction Workers In Minnesota construction projects, a general or prime contractor is liable for unpaid wages, fringe benefits, … 181.17 This section has been repealed or renumbered and no longer contains operative law. Consult the current Minnesota … 181.171 Court Actions; Private Party Civil Actions Minnesota workers can sue their employer in district court for wage violations, including unpaid wages, missing pay … 181.172 Wage Disclosure Protection Employers cannot require employees to keep their wages secret. Employees have the right to talk about how much they earn … 181.1721 Attorney General Enforcement The attorney general can investigate and bring legal action against employers who fail to pay wages. 181.173 Salary Ranges Required in Job Postings Minnesota employers with 30 or more employees must include the salary range and a description of benefits in every job … 181.18 This section has been repealed or renumbered and no longer contains operative law. Consult the current Minnesota … 181.19 This section has been repealed or renumbered and no longer contains operative law. Consult the current Minnesota … 181.20 This section has been repealed and no longer contains operative law. The body consists only of a repealer history line … 181.21 This section has been repealed and no longer contains operative law. Consult the current Minnesota Statutes for any … 181.211 Definitions This section defines the terms used in Minnesota Statutes sections 181.211 to 181.217, the laws governing the Minnesota … 181.212 Minnesota Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board; Establishment This section creates the Minnesota Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board and sets its structure and rules. The board … 181.213 Duties of the Board; Minimum Nursing Home Employment Standards This section sets out the duties of the Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board, requiring it to adopt rules establishing … 181.214 Duties of the Board; Training for Nursing Home Workers Directs the board to certify worker organizations that are qualified to train nursing home workers and sets the … 181.215 Required Notices This section requires nursing home employers to provide a notice informing nursing home workers of their rights and … 181.216 Retaliation Prohibited Prohibits nursing home employers from retaliating or discriminating against nursing home workers for exercising rights … 181.217 Enforcement This section governs enforcement of Minnesota's minimum employment standards for nursing home workers. It makes those … 181.22 This section has been repealed or renumbered and no longer contains operative law. Consult the current Minnesota … 181.23 This section has been repealed and no longer contains operative law. The page shows only a citation and history line … 181.24 This section has been repealed and no longer contains operative law. The page reflects only the repealing history (1974 … 181.25 This section has been repealed or renumbered and no longer contains operative law. Consult the current Minnesota … 181.26 This section has been repealed or renumbered and no longer contains operative law. Consult the current Minnesota … 181.27 This section has been repealed or renumbered and no longer contains operative law. The page shows only a citation and … 181.275 Regulating Nurses' Overtime Minnesota prohibits hospitals and licensed health care facilities from punishing a nurse who refuses to work overtime … 181.28 This section has been repealed or renumbered and no longer contains operative law. Consult the current Minnesota … 181.29 This section has been repealed or renumbered and no longer contains operative law. Consult the current Minnesota … 181.30 This section has been repealed or renumbered and no longer contains operative law. Consult the current Minnesota … 181.31 This section has been repealed or renumbered and no longer contains operative law. The page shows only a citation and … 181.32 This section has been repealed or renumbered and no longer contains operative law. Consult the current Minnesota … 181.33 This section no longer contains operative law: the page carries only a citation and enactment history line (1974 c 432 s … 181.34 This section was repealed in 1974. 181.35 This section was repealed in 1974. 181.36 This section was repealed in 1974. 181.37 This section was repealed in 1974. 181.38 This section was repealed in 1974. 181.39 This section was repealed in 1974. 181.40 This section was repealed in 1974. 181.41 This section was repealed in 1974. 181.42 This section was repealed in 1974. 181.43 This section was repealed in 1974. 181.44 This section was repealed in 1974. 181.45 This section was repealed in 1974. 181.46 This section was repealed in 1974. 181.47 This section was repealed in 1974. 181.48 This section was repealed in 1974. 181.49 This section was repealed in 1974. 181.50 This section was repealed in 1974. 181.51 This section was repealed in 1974. 181.52 Interference With Employment It is illegal to fire someone or conspire to prevent them from getting a job because they participated in a strike. 181.53 Conditions Precedent to Employment Not Required Employers cannot require job applicants to disclose their strike history or personal records going back more than one … 181.531 Employer-sponsored Meetings or Communication Employers cannot punish workers for refusing to attend meetings about the employer's political or religious opinions. … 181.535 Armed Forces Reserves or National Guard Status Employers cannot ask job applicants about their National Guard or military reserve status with intent to discriminate. 181.536 Posting of Veterans' Benefits and Services Employers with more than 50 employees must display a poster about veterans' benefits and services created by the state. 181.54 Commissioner of Human Services, Safety Inspection Work The commissioner of human services can spend relief funds on safety inspections for employees working on state and … 181.55 Written Statement to Employees by Employers When an employer hires someone to work in Minnesota, the employer must give the employee a written, signed agreement … 181.56 No Statement Given; Burden of Proof If there is no written employment agreement, the employer has the burden of proving the terms of the verbal agreement in … 181.57 Application of Sections 181.55 and 181.56 The requirements about written employment agreements (sections 181.55 and 181.56) do not apply to farm labor, casual or … 181.58 Surviving Spouse Paid Wages Due When an employee dies, the employer must pay up to $10,000 in owed wages directly to the surviving spouse upon request, … 181.59 Discrimination on Account of Race, Creed, or Color Prohibited in Contract All government contracts in Minnesota must include anti-discrimination clauses prohibiting contractors from … 181.60 Definitions Provides the definitions that apply throughout Minnesota Statutes sections 181.60 to 181.62. It defines "employer" … 181.61 Medical Examination; Records, Costs Employers cannot make employees or job applicants pay for required medical exams or for furnishing records needed for … 181.62 Violations An employer who violates the medical examination cost rules is guilty of a misdemeanor. 181.63 Sale or Use of Silicate, Silica Dust, or Silicon Flour for Certain Purposes It is illegal to sell or use silica dust for molding purposes in Minnesota. The Department of Labor and Industry … 181.635 Recruitment; Food Processing Employment Employers who recruit workers from outside the area to work in food processing (meat and poultry) must give them a … 181.64 False Statements as Inducement to Entering Employment It is illegal for employers in Minnesota to use knowingly false statements to recruit workers, including lies about the … 181.645 Expenses for Background Checks, Testing, and Orientation Employers cannot make employees or job applicants pay for background checks, credit checks, orientation, or required … 181.65 Penalties Anyone who uses false or deceptive advertising to lure workers into jobs is guilty of a misdemeanor. Workers who were … 181.66 Equal Pay for Equal Work Law; Definitions Defines key terms like 'employer,' 'employee,' 'wages,' and 'rate' for the equal pay for equal work law (sections 181.66 … 181.67 Wage Discrimination Based on Sex; Protection of Employees Involved in Proceeding Employers cannot pay employees of one sex less than employees of the opposite sex for equal work requiring equal skill, … 181.68 Actions; Limitations, Damages, Attorney Fees, Parties, Compromises Employees paid less because of their sex can sue for up to one year of unpaid wages plus additional damages and attorney … 181.69 This section was repealed in 1974. 181.70 Violations Violating the equal pay for equal work law (sections 181.66 to 181.71) is a misdemeanor. 181.71 Citation This section establishes the short title for Minnesota's Equal Pay for Equal Work Law, which is found in sections 181.66 … 181.72 This section was repealed in 1974. 181.721 Construction Bid Equity Contractors who bid on non-residential construction projects must provide workers' compensation and unemployment … 181.722 Misclassification of Employees It is illegal in Minnesota to treat a worker as an independent contractor when that worker is actually an employee. … 181.723 Misclassification of Construction Employees Construction workers are presumed to be employees, not independent contractors, unless their business meets a detailed … 181.724 Intergovernmental Misclassification Enforcement and Education Partnership Act Creates a partnership between state agencies to detect and investigate employers who misclassify workers as independent … 181.725 Intergovernmental Misclassification Enforcement and Education Partnership Establishes the Intergovernmental Misclassification Enforcement and Education Partnership, led by the commissioner of … 181.73 Migrant Labor; Health Insurance Employers with five or more recruited migrant laborers in food processing must provide health insurance during … 181.74 Failure of Employer to Pay Benefits or Wage Supplements, Penalty An employer who fails to make required benefit payments (health insurance, retirement, vacation pay, etc.) within 30 … 181.75 Polygraph Tests of Employees or Prospective Employees Prohibited Employers in Minnesota cannot require employees or job applicants to take a lie detector test (polygraph), voice stress … 181.76 Disclosure of Lie Detector Tests Prohibited No one may disclose that another person took a lie detector test or share the results, except to the person who took the … 181.77 This section was repealed in 1976. 181.78 Agreements; Terms Relating to Inventions An employer cannot claim ownership of inventions you create on your own time, using your own resources, that are … 181.79 Wages Deductions for Faulty Workmanship, Loss, Theft, or Damage Employers cannot deduct money from your wages for lost or stolen property, damages, or debts unless you voluntarily … 181.80 Union Notice of Injury or Death When a work-related death or serious injury occurs, the employer must send a copy of the required report to the … 181.81 Dismissal for Age; Prohibition; Exceptions; Remedies Private employers cannot force employees to retire before age 70, with limited exceptions for high-level executives. … 181.811 This section was repealed in 2003. 181.812 Rules The commissioner of labor may create rules needed to carry out the mandatory retirement age law. 181.82 Benefits Based on Job Performance Prohibited Employers cannot cut off an employee's health insurance, life insurance, or pension benefits based on job performance … 181.83 Corn Detasselers; Termination of Employment When a corn detasseling employer fires, injures, or makes a worker sick, they must provide transportation back to where … 181.84 Corn Detasselers; Work Conditions Employers of corn detasselers must provide drinkable water in the fields that workers can access easily and drink in a … 181.85 Migrant Labor; Definitions Defines key terms for the migrant labor protection laws (sections 181.85 to 181.90), including 'migrant worker,' … 181.86 Employment Statement Employers who recruit migrant workers must give them a written statement of job terms in English and Spanish (or the … 181.87 Payment Terms Migrant workers must be paid at least every two weeks and are guaranteed a minimum of 70 hours of pay per two-week … 181.88 Record Keeping Employers of migrant workers must keep complete wage and employment records for at least three years. 181.89 Civil Actions Migrant workers can sue their employers for violations of the employment statement and payment rules. Courts can award … 181.90 Use Wagner-peyser System Employers who use the federal Wagner-Peyser work clearance system to recruit migrant workers must still comply with … 181.91 Preservation of Existing Remedies The remedies in the migrant labor sections are in addition to any other legal remedies available. 181.92 Leaves for Adoptive Parents Employers who give time off for biological parents must also give adoptive parents at least four weeks of leave to … 181.93 Notice to Employees and Applicants of Bankruptcy Employers must immediately notify all employees in writing when they file for bankruptcy. Job applicants must also be … 181.931 Definitions Defines key terms for the whistleblower protection law (sections 181.931 to 181.935), including 'employee,' 'employer,' … 181.932 Disclosure of Information by Employees Minnesota's whistleblower protection law makes it illegal for employers to fire, discipline, or retaliate against … 181.933 Notice of Termination An employee who is involuntarily terminated can request in writing the reason for the termination, and the employer must … 181.934 Employee Notice The Department of Labor and Industry must create rules for employers to notify employees about their whistleblower … 181.935 Individual Remedies; Penalty Employees harmed by whistleblower retaliation can sue for damages, attorney fees, reinstatement, back pay, and other … 181.937 Reprisals for Failure to Contribute; Civil Action Employers cannot punish employees for declining to make donations to charities or community organizations, including the … 181.938 Nonwork Activities; Prohibited Employer Conduct Employers cannot fire or discipline employees for using lawful products (including food, alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis) … 181.939 Nursing Mothers, Lactating Employees, and Pregnancy Accommodations Employers must provide break time and a private room (not a bathroom) for nursing mothers to express milk. Pregnant … 181.940 Definitions Defines 'employee,' 'employer,' and 'child' for the parental leave sections (181.940 to 181.944). 181.941 Pregnancy and Parenting Leave Minnesota employees are entitled to up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for the birth or adoption of a child, or for … 181.9412 School Conference and Activities Leave Minnesota employers must allow an employee up to 16 hours of leave during any 12-month period to attend school … 181.9413 This section has been repealed or renumbered and no longer contains operative law. Consult the current Minnesota … 181.9414 This section no longer contains operative law. The page shows only a section number and a session-law history reference, … 181.942 Reinstatement After Leave Employees returning from parental leave must be restored to their former position or a comparable one with the same pay, … 181.943 Relationship to Other Leave Parental leave under section 181.941 can be reduced by other paid leave or FMLA leave the employee takes, but not by … 181.9435 Division; Investigations, Reports This section directs the Minnesota Division of Labor Standards to receive and informally investigate employee complaints … 181.9436 Posting of Law This section directs the Division of Labor Standards, with input from interested business and community organizations, … 181.944 Individual Remedies A person injured by a violation of certain employment laws (including the wage-disclosure provisions of section 181.172, … 181.9445 Definitions Defines the key terms used throughout Minnesota's earned sick and safe time law (sections 181.9445 to 181.9448), … 181.9446 Accrual of Earned Sick and Safe Time Employees accrue at least one hour of earned sick and safe time for every 30 hours worked, up to 48 hours per year, with … 181.9447 Use of Earned Sick and Safe Time Lists the permitted uses of earned sick and safe time: an employee's own illness or medical care, care of a family … 181.9448 Effect on Other Law or Policy Addresses how the earned sick and safe time law interacts with other policies: employers may keep more generous leave … 181.945 Leave for Bone Marrow Donations Employers with 20 or more employees must grant paid leave of up to 40 hours for an employee who is donating bone marrow. … 181.9455 This section has been repealed or renumbered and no longer contains operative law. Consult the current Minnesota … 181.9456 Leave for Organ Donation This section requires public employers (state, county, city, town, school district, or other governmental subdivisions … 181.9458 Authorization for Blood Donation Leave This section permits a Minnesota employer to grant paid leave from work to an employee so the employee can donate blood. … 181.946 Leave for Civil Air Patrol Service Employers must grant unpaid leave for employees serving in the Civil Air Patrol when called by the state, unless it … 181.947 Leave for Immediate Family Members of Military Personnel Injured or Killed in Active Service Any Minnesota employer with one or more employees must grant up to ten working days of unpaid leave to an employee whose … 181.948 Leave to Attend Military Ceremonies This section requires Minnesota employers to grant an employee unpaid leave to attend a send-off or homecoming ceremony … 181.950 Definitions This section defines key terms used throughout Minnesota's drug and alcohol testing law (sections 181.950 to 181.957), … 181.951 Authorized Drug and Alcohol Testing Sets out the only circumstances in which a Minnesota employer may drug- and alcohol-test employees and job applicants, … 181.952 Policy Contents; Prior Written Notice This section sets out what a Minnesota employer's drug, alcohol, and cannabis testing policy must contain and the notice … 181.953 Reliability and Fairness Safeguards Drug tests must follow strict procedures including using certified labs, confirming positive results with a second test, … 181.954 Privacy, Confidentiality, and Privilege Safeguards This section protects the privacy of drug, cannabis, and alcohol testing information. A laboratory may report only … 181.955 Construction This section explains how Minnesota's drug, alcohol, and cannabis testing laws (sections 181.950 to 181.954) should be … 181.956 Remedies This section sets out the remedies available when an employer or testing laboratory violates Minnesota's drug and … 181.957 Federal Preemption This section addresses federal preemption of Minnesota's drug, alcohol, and cannabis testing rules. The employee and job … 181.960 Definitions This section defines key terms for Minnesota's personnel records law (sections 181.960 to 181.966), including who counts … 181.961 Review of Personnel Record by Employee Minnesota employees have the right to see their own personnel file. The employer must let the employee review it within … 181.962 Removal or Revision of Information If a Minnesota employee disagrees with information in their personnel file, the employee and employer can agree to … 181.963 Use of Omitted Personnel Record This section bars an employer from using information that properly belonged in an employee's personnel record but was … 181.9631 Notice of Employee Rights This section requires an employer (as defined in section 181.960, subdivision 3) to give a job applicant written notice, … 181.964 Retaliation Prohibited This section prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who assert their rights under the Minnesota … 181.9641 Enforcement This section directs the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry to enforce the personnel records sections (181.960 … 181.965 Remedies This section sets out the civil remedies available to an employee when an employer violates the personnel record … 181.966 Additional Right of Access to Records This section is a savings clause for the personnel record review law (sections 181.960 to 181.965). It clarifies that … 181.967 Employment References Minnesota law limits when a current or former employee can sue an employer over an employment reference. An employer who … 181.970 Employee Indemnification Employers in Minnesota must defend and pay for (indemnify) their employees when the employee is sued for something they … 181.973 This section has been repealed or renumbered and no longer contains operative law. Consult the current Minnesota … 181.9731 Public Safety Peer Counseling This section protects the confidentiality of public safety peer counseling provided to emergency service providers such … 181.9732 Critical Incident Stress Management This section governs critical incident stress management services for emergency service providers (peace officers, … 181.974 Genetic Testing in Employment Employers in Minnesota cannot require genetic testing as a condition of employment, and cannot use genetic information … 181.980 Access to Employee Assistance Records Employees who use an employer's employee assistance program (EAP) have the right to see and copy their own EAP records. … 181.981 Employment of Individual With Criminal History; Limitation on Admissibility of Evidence Limits when an employee's criminal history can be used as evidence against their employer in a lawsuit. If a criminal … 181.985 Workplace Communications Collective bargaining agreements in Minnesota may include provisions about workplace communications related to union … 181.986 This section does not contain operative statutory text and appears only as a section number with a session law history … 181.987 Use of Skilled and Trained Contractor Workforces at Petroleum Refineries This section requires owners and operators of petroleum refineries to use a skilled and trained workforce when … 181.988 Covenants Not to Compete Void in Employment Agreements; Substantive Protections of Minnesota Law Apply Non-compete agreements in Minnesota employment contracts are void and unenforceable. Employers cannot prevent employees … 181.9881 Restrictive Employment Covenants; Void in Service Contracts This section makes certain no-poach restrictions void and unenforceable in Minnesota. A service provider (a business … 181.991 Restrictive Franchise Agreements Prohibited This section prohibits franchisors from restricting, restraining, or otherwise blocking a franchisee from soliciting or …