Employee Notice Required for Wages

In 2019, the Minnesota legislature passed new wage theft laws. As part of those new laws, as of July 1, 2019, all employers must provide each employee with a written notice at the start of their employment and keep a signed copy of the notice on file. In addition, the employer has to provide notice to the employee before any changes regarding wages, etc. prior to the change taking effect.

The written notice must include:

• Employee’s employment status and whether an employee is exempt from minimum wage, overtime and other state wage and hour laws, and on what basis.
  • Number of days in the employee’s pay period and the regularly scheduled payday.
  • Date the employee will receive the first payment of wages earned.
  • Employee’s rate or rates of pay and the basis thereof, including whether the employee is paid by the hour, shift, day, week, salary, piece, commission or other method and the specific application of any additional rates.
  • Allowances, if any, that may be claimed for permitted meals and lodging.
  • Provision of paid vacation, sick time or other paid time off (PTO), how the paid time off will accrue and terms for its use.
  • A list of deductions that may be made from the employee’s pay.
  • Employer’s legal name and the operating name, if different.
  • Physical address of employer’s main office or principal place of business and a mailing address, if different; and.
  • Employer’s telephone number.

The notice must be provided to employees in English.  However, the notice must include a statement, in multiple languages, that informs employees they may request the notice be provided to them in another language.  In addition, the employer must provide the notice in another language if requested by the employee.

A template of the notice is available at: https://www.dli.mn.gov/business/employment-practices/employee-notice.

If your business is located in Minneapolis, as of January 1, 2020, your business must comply with additional wage and hour requirements. Those requirements are in addition to what Minnesota law requires.  In addition, in Minneapolis, you have to provide a labor notice to on or before their start date.  A template of the notice and the labor poster for Minneapolis businesses’ are available at: http://minimumwage.minneapolismn.gov/wagetheft.html.

Spangler and de Stefano, PLLP assists business owners with wage and hour issues.

The material contained herein is for informational purposes only, and is not intended to create or constitute an attorney-client relationship between Spangler and de Stefano, PLLP and the reader. The information contained herein is not offered as legal advice and should not be construed as legal advice.