Just as soon as Minnesota employers start to understand the new Minnesota Wage Theft Law (enacted July 1, 2019), the City of Minneapolis has passed its own ordinance, the Minneapolis Wage Theft Prevention Ordinance, effective January 1, 2020.  Employers located in Minneapolis and employers located outside of Minneapolis but who have employees who work at least 80 hours per year in the City, must adhere to the Ordinance.

What Is Different Between the State Law and Minneapolis Ordinance?

The Ordinance requires more than the state law to largely incorporate information about the Minneapolis Sick and Safe Time Ordinance:

• The Employee Notice must be given to ALL employees – not just new hires (as with the State law)
• Employee Notice and earnings statements must include information about Sick and Safe Time:
  • Hours of leave the employee receives
  • Type of year used to determine accrual and carryover
  • Earliest date SST may begin (no more than 90 days from date of hire)
• Employee notice must also require:
  • Employee’s date of hire
  • Overtime pay rates, number of hours to work to be eligible (typically 40 or 48)
  • If position involves gratuities, a statement that tip sharing or pooling is voluntary
• An explanation of sick and safe time rules and employee’s signature of approval
• Posters must be posted in English and other language (if applicable) and distributed to employees

Employers who fall under this ordinance should be sure that their time off policies are compliant and they are ready to roll out the employee notice and posters by January 1, 2020.  It is no small task – do not procrastinate and underestimate the work needed!  Also, looking into my crystal ball, I would not be surprised to see St. Paul (and then Duluth) follow suit as is common with such ordinances.