The City of Minneapolis enacted an ordinance intended to combat wage theft on August 17, 2019. This is in addition to the State of Minnesota’s wage theft law that took effect on July 1, 2019. The title of both law is misleading. These are not merely laws to punish employers who fail to pay employees. Both the state and the city laws contain affirmative requirements for employers to follow. As of January 1, 2020, employers in Minneapolis must comply with requirements that are in addition to those established by Minnesota state law.
The two most important requirements of the Minneapolis Ordinance, are:
- Employers must post and distribute a copy of the updated Minneapolis labor poster to all new hires.
- Employers must provide employees with written pre-hire notices of certain employment terms to be signed by the employee and retained by the employer.
The sample pre-hire notice provided by the Minnesota Department of Labor may not be compliant for Minneapolis employers. The City of Minneapolis has a sample on its website or you can contact Trepanier MacGillis Battina P.A. for a template. A new notice must be provided each time the information in the notice changes, and it must be signed by the employee unless the only change is an increase in compensation which has been communicated to the employee before it goes into effect.
The City Ordinance requires a notice to be provided to all current employees as of January 1, 2020. If your business has not already done so, you should act now to prepare, distribute and obtain signatures on notices for all current employees working in Minneapolis. More information about the ordinance, including FAQs, sample forms, posters, and even an explanatory video can be found on the City’s website.
Minneapolis also has a paid sick leave ordinance. Part of the new wage theft ordinance is a requirement that the notice provide information about the employee’s right to paid sick and safe time and an explanation as to how it is calculated. Minneapolis also has a minimum wage ordinance which next increases on July 1, 2020.
Employers in Minneapolis face a number of local employment law requirements. For assistance in preparing the notice under the new wage theft ordinance, drafting a paid sick leave policy, or otherwise complying with local requirements, contact the employment law attorneys at Trepanier MacGillis Battina P.A. 612-455.0500.