Minnesota Wage and Hour Law

Minimum Wage in Minnesota

When an employee is subject to both the federal and Minnesota minimum wage, he or she should receive the higher wage. Because the Minnesota minimum wage is less than the federal rate, its application is restricted to the few employees who are subject to only the Minnesota minimum wage law.

Minnesota minimum wage law sets the minimum wage for large employers (those who make $625,00 or more) at $6.15 per hour. Employees at a "Small employer", defined as any enterprise which makes less than $625,000, is $5.25 per hour.  Minnesota Minimum Wage Law also provides that an employer may pay $4.90 an hour to new employees who are younger than age 20 during their first 90 consecutive days of employment.  However, current workers cannot be replaced with employees earning the training wage.

Overtime Law in Minnesota

Employees covered by the Minnesota Fair Labor Standards Act must receive overtime compensation (1.5 times the regular rate) for hours worked in excess of 48 in a single workweek. The state law is broader and covers the great majority of employees in Minnesota who are not specifically exempt. Therefore, unless they fit into one of the specific exemptions, most people who work in Minnesota are covered by both the state and federal law. Many overtime exemptions are the same in both federal and Minnesota wage and hour law. For more information on Minnesota overtime law, visit the Minnesota Dept. of Labor and Industry.

Final Wages

Final paychecks must be provided within 24 hours of the employee's demand. If you quit, your wages are due within the next pay period that is more than five days after quitting. However, wages must be paid within 20 days of separation. If the separated employee was given money or property during employment, the employer receives an extra 10 days after the date of dismissal to pay the worker. This time period is provided to allow the employer adequate time to audit the worker's accounts.

For more information, view the Minnesota Department of Labor Website