Not to be outdone by the State of Minnesota’s Wage Theft Law, the City of Minneapolis is proposing its own wage theft ordinance, which “compliments” its Minimum Wage and Sick and Safe Time ordinances. The new wage theft ordinance would allow the City to investigate wage theft complaints on its turf. On July 29, 2019, there is a public hearing on the proposed ordinance, which is expected to pass at the August 9, 2019 City Council meeting.

What is Expected?

• Pre-hire notice will include information about the safe and sick leave laws, tipping, and overtime.
• Changes to notice information must be signed by employee before the change goes into effect (unlike state),
• Pay stubs will also need to include local workplace information.
• A new poster will need to be displayed.
• There will be a presumption of retaliation if any action is taken against an employee within 90 days who has begun an action of alleged wage theft.
• Wage theft will prohibit city contracts, with a list of employers published.

Expected Differences with State Wage Theft Law:

• Ordinance will not limit wage theft “with the intent to defraud” (that language is removed).
• Any changes to the information in the notice (like wage change) must be signed by the employee before it takes effect.
• Employer will need to provide the prehire notice to ALL employees (not just new employees) as of the effective date, if they have not already been provided all the information.