Intro to Minnesota Labor Laws

Minnesota’s Paid Leave program, which was signed into law in 2023, will take effect on January 1, 2026. As implementation approaches, the state now requires employers to inform Minnesota workers about the program by December 1, 2025. Employers must display the official Paid Leave poster in the workplace, in English and in any other language spoken by five or more employees. You can download the poster here. 

In addition, employers must notify each employee individually about the new Paid Leave program in their primary language and obtain acknowledgment that they have received the information. This can be done by having employees sign a form or confirm in another documented way. A sample employee notice and acknowledgment form is available to help meet this requirement. Employers can also have employees sign the acknowledgment form and upload it to your Document Center in Justworks to keep your records organized and compliant.

Minnesota has strengthened employment protections for medical cannabis patients. Employers must now provide a written notice at least 14 days before taking any adverse action against a patient, detailing the specific reason. The law also prohibits retaliation, increases the penalty for violations to $1,000, and extends protections to patients in recognized Tribal medical cannabis programs. Employers should revise and review drug testing policies and procedures to ensure compliance with these requirements.

In May, Minnesota passed a new law, in line with recent trends, which requires all employers with 30 or more employees in the state to include pay information in job postings beginning in January 2025. As part of these requirements, pay information includes either a fixed rate or a “good faith estimate” pay range, as well as a general description of benefits and “other compensation” (health insurance, retirement plans, bonuses, and others). 

Employers should review job postings and other related templates and procedures accordingly to ensure compliance with this new law.

Effective January 1, 2026, Minnesota has expanded its meal and rest break requirements for nonexempt employees. Employers are now required to provide a paid rest break of at least 15 minutes for every four consecutive hours worked. Additionally, an unpaid meal break of at least 30 minutes must be provided to employees working six or more consecutive hours. Failure to provide these mandated breaks will result in fines to cover the wages earned during the period of the missed break. Employers should update their policies and handbooks to reflect these changes, establish a written policy, communicate it to employees, and enforce it to ensure compliance.

Minneapolis recently updated its Civil Rights Ordinance, expanding anti-discrimination protections to include "justice-impacted status" (meaning having a criminal record or having been subject to the criminal justice system), housing status, and height/weight. Employers must also provide expanded accommodations for religious and pregnancy-related reasons.

Private employers in Minneapolis should review and update their anti-discrimination policies, hiring practices, and accommodation procedures to ensure compliance with the expanded ordinance.

Minnesota’s Pay History Ban became effective on January 1, 2024. Minnesota employers are now barred from asking candidates for current or previous applicant's current wage, salary, benefits or other compensation during the hiring process. Employers should take immediate action to update and train hiring managers to ensure questions surrounding salary and pay are compliant with the new law.