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Many employers are aware that, on July 1, 2019, Minnesota law was amended to require that Minnesota employers provide a written notice with specified content to each new employee at the outset of the employment relationship. This statute has been referred to as the “wage theft” statute.

Recently, as a follow-up to the new state statute, the City of Minneapolis adopted an ordinance that mandates several additional requirements for the written notice to be given to new employees who work in the City. The ordinance also requires employers of personnel in Minneapolis to provide the written notice to existing employees during the first pay period following January 1, 2020, which is the effective date of the ordinance. The ordinance applies to employees who work in Minneapolis for 80 hours or more in a year. The ordinance does not apply to persons who attend a convention, conference, training, educational class, or similar event in Minneapolis if they do not perform other work in the City for an employer.

The ordinance requires that the notice document must include certain sick and safe time information, as well as the overtime pay rate and a statement that tip sharing is voluntary per state law. The ordinance also requires that the City’s notice poster must be distributed to employees at the start of employment. Employers are expected to receive and maintain copies of signed employee acknowledgment forms that confirm receipt of the notice.

Moss & Barnett is pleased to assist employers in implementing the requirements of the Minneapolis ordinance or the state statute.