Minnesota Mimimum Wage & Wage Claims

    
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Minimum Wage in MinnesotaMinnesota Minimum Wage Finder
  
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401
Minnesota Counties

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For detailed information about the minimum wage in your county, please enter your ZIP code. This will direct you to a page providing tailored information about the minimum wage in your area.
Minnesota Minimum Wage
     
                   Hennepin County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Minneapolis)  FIPS: 27053                 - pop.1,281,565               
             
                   Ramsey County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Saint Paul)  FIPS: 27123                 - pop.552,352               
             
                   Dakota County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Hastings)  FIPS: 27037                 - pop.439,882               
             
                   Anoka County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Anoka)  FIPS: 27003                 - pop.363,887               
             
                   Washington County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Stillwater)  FIPS: 27163                 - pop.267,568               
             
                   Saint Louis County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Duluth)  FIPS: 27137                 - pop.200,231               
             
                   Olmsted County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Rochester)  FIPS: 27109                 - pop.162,847               
             
                   Stearns County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Saint Cloud)  FIPS: 27145                 - pop.158,292               
             
                   Scott County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Shakopee)  FIPS: 27139                 - pop.150,928               
             
                   Wright County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Buffalo)  FIPS: 27171                 - pop.141,337               
             
                   Carver County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Chaska)  FIPS: 27019                 - pop.106,922               
             
                   Sherburne County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Elk River)  FIPS: 27141                 - pop.97,183               
             
                   Blue Earth County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Mankato)  FIPS: 27013                 - pop.69,112               
             
                   Rice County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Faribault)  FIPS: 27131                 - pop.67,097               
             
                   Crow Wing County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Brainerd)  FIPS: 27035                 - pop.66,123               
             
                   Clay County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Moorhead)  FIPS: 27027                 - pop.65,318               
             
                   Otter Tail County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Fergus Falls)  FIPS: 27111                 - pop.60,081               
             
                   Chisago County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Center City)  FIPS: 27025                 - pop.56,621               
             
                   Winona County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Winona)  FIPS: 27169                 - pop.49,671               
             
                   Goodhue County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Red Wing)  FIPS: 27049                 - pop.47,582               
             
                   Beltrami County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Bemidji)  FIPS: 27007                 - pop.46,228               
             
                   Itasca County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Grand Rapids)  FIPS: 27061                 - pop.45,014               
             
                   Kandiyohi County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Willmar)  FIPS: 27067                 - pop.43,732               
             
                   Benton County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Foley)  FIPS: 27009                 - pop.41,379               
             
                   Isanti County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Cambridge)  FIPS: 27059                 - pop.41,135               
             
                   Mower County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Austin)  FIPS: 27099                 - pop.40,029               
             
                   Douglas County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Alexandria)  FIPS: 27041                 - pop.39,006               
             
                   Steele County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Owatonna)  FIPS: 27147                 - pop.37,406               
             
                   McLeod County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Glencoe)  FIPS: 27085                 - pop.36,771               
             
                   Carlton County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Carlton)  FIPS: 27017                 - pop.36,207               
             
                   Becker County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Detroit Lakes)  FIPS: 27005                 - pop.35,183               
             
                   Nicollet County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Saint Peter)  FIPS: 27103                 - pop.34,454               
             
                   Morrison County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Little Falls)  FIPS: 27097                 - pop.34,010               
             
                   Polk County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Crookston)  FIPS: 27119                 - pop.31,192               
             
                   Freeborn County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Albert Lea)  FIPS: 27047                 - pop.30,895               
             
                   Cass County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Walker)  FIPS: 27021                 - pop.30,066               
             
                   Pine County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Pine City)  FIPS: 27115                 - pop.28,876               
             
                   Le Sueur County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Le Center)  FIPS: 27079                 - pop.28,674               
             
                   Mille Lacs County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Milaca)  FIPS: 27095                 - pop.26,459               
             
                   Brown County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (New Ulm)  FIPS: 27015                 - pop.25,912               
             
                   Lyon County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Marshall)  FIPS: 27083                 - pop.25,269               
             
                   Todd County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Long Prairie)  FIPS: 27153                 - pop.25,262               
             
                   Meeker County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Litchfield)  FIPS: 27093                 - pop.23,400               
             
                   Nobles County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Worthington)  FIPS: 27105                 - pop.22,290               
             
                   Wabasha County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Wabasha)  FIPS: 27157                 - pop.21,387               
             
                   Hubbard County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Park Rapids)  FIPS: 27057                 - pop.21,344               
             
                   Fillmore County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Preston)  FIPS: 27045                 - pop.21,228               
             
                   Dodge County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Mantorville)  FIPS: 27039                 - pop.20,867               
             
                   Martin County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Fairmont)  FIPS: 27091                 - pop.20,025               
             
                   Waseca County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Waseca)  FIPS: 27161                 - pop.18,968               
             
                   Houston County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Caledonia)  FIPS: 27055                 - pop.18,843               
             
                   Kanabec County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Mora)  FIPS: 27065                 - pop.16,032               
             
                   Aitkin County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Aitkin)  FIPS: 27001                 - pop.15,697               
             
                   Redwood County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Redwood Falls)  FIPS: 27127                 - pop.15,425               
             
                   Roseau County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Roseau)  FIPS: 27135                 - pop.15,331               
             
                   Sibley County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Gaylord)  FIPS: 27143                 - pop.14,836               
             
                   Renville County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Olivia)  FIPS: 27129                 - pop.14,723               
             
                   Wadena County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Wadena)  FIPS: 27159                 - pop.14,065               
             
                   Pennington County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Thief River Falls)  FIPS: 27113                 - pop.13,992               
             
                   Faribault County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Blue Earth)  FIPS: 27043                 - pop.13,921               
             
                   Chippewa County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Montevideo)  FIPS: 27023                 - pop.12,598               
             
                   Koochiching County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (International Falls)  FIPS: 27071                 - pop.12,062               
             
                   Cottonwood County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Windom)  FIPS: 27033                 - pop.11,517               
             
                   Pope County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Glenwood)  FIPS: 27121                 - pop.11,308               
             
                   Watonwan County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Saint James)  FIPS: 27165                 - pop.11,253               
             
                   Lake County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Two Harbors)  FIPS: 27075                 - pop.10,905               
             
                   Jackson County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Jackson)  FIPS: 27063                 - pop.9,989               
             
                   Swift County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Benson)  FIPS: 27151                 - pop.9,838               
             
                   Rock County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Luverne)  FIPS: 27133                 - pop.9,704               
             
                   Stevens County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Morris)  FIPS: 27149                 - pop.9,671               
             
                   Yellow Medicine County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Granite Falls)  FIPS: 27173                 - pop.9,528               
             
                   Pipestone County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Pipestone)  FIPS: 27117                 - pop.9,424               
             
                   Marshall County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Warren)  FIPS: 27089                 - pop.9,040               
             
                   Clearwater County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Bagley)  FIPS: 27029                 - pop.8,524               
             
                   Murray County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Slayton)  FIPS: 27101                 - pop.8,179               
             
                   Lac qui Parle County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Madison)  FIPS: 27073                 - pop.6,719               
             
                   Wilkin County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Breckenridge)  FIPS: 27167                 - pop.6,506               
             
                   Norman County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Ada)  FIPS: 27107                 - pop.6,441               
             
                   Grant County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Elbow Lake)  FIPS: 27051                 - pop.6,074               
             
                   Lincoln County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Ivanhoe)  FIPS: 27081                 - pop.5,640               
             
                   Cook County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Grand Marais)  FIPS: 27031                 - pop.5,600               
             
                   Mahnomen County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Mahnomen)  FIPS: 27087                 - pop.5,411               
             
                   Big Stone County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Ortonville)  FIPS: 27011                 - pop.5,166               
             
                   Kittson County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Hallock)  FIPS: 27069                 - pop.4,207               
             
                   Red Lake County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Red Lake Falls)  FIPS: 27125                 - pop.3,935               
             
                   Lake of the Woods County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Baudette)  FIPS: 27077                 - pop.3,763               
             
                   Traverse County Minimum Wage
               
               County Seat: (Wheaton)  FIPS: 27155                 - pop.3,360

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Minnesota Wage & Hour Resources

Minimum Wage In Minnesota

The minimum wage in Minnesota is $10.85 an hour; for employers with annual sales volume of less than $500,000, the state minimum wage is $8.85 an hour. Because both of these rates are higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25, employees in Minnesota must be paid at least $10.85 or $8.85 an hour, depending on their employer's sales.

Minnesota Wage & Hour Law

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Wage & Hour Law Minimum Wage ▼

What Is the Minimum Wage in Minnesota?

What Is the Minimum Wage in Minnesota?

The minimum wage in Minnesota is $10.85 an hour; for employers with annual sales volume of less than $500,000, the state minimum wage is $8.85 an hour. Because both of these rates are higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25, employees in Minnesota must be paid at least $10.85 or $8.85 an hour, depending on their employer's sales.

The minimum wage is the least you can be paid per hour, by law. You are entitled to earn at least the highest minimum wage that applies to you, whether the standard is federal, state, or local. The federal minimum wage is currently $7.25. If your city or state has passed a law setting a higher minimum wage, your employer must pay you at least that higher amount per hour; it cannot pay you the lower federal minimum wage instead.

The minimum wage represents gross earnings: earnings before deductions, such as tax withholding, are taken. Your actual take-home pay may be less than the minimum wage.
Who Earns Overtime in Minnesota?
Who Earns Overtime in Minnesota?
You qualify for overtime pay if:
- you are paid by the hour
- you are not exempt (for example, because you hold a “white collar” job), and
- you work over 40 hours in a workweek (or 8 hours in a workday in some states).
If you are eligible for overtime, you are entitled to 1-1/2 times your regular hourly rate for each overtime hour worked. Check the Minnesota Department of Labor & Industry for the overtime standards in Minnesota.

For more information about overtime eligibility, see Am I Entitled to Overtime Pay in Minnesota?
How Do I Calculate My Hourly Wage?

How Do I Calculate My Hourly Wage?

To calculate your hourly wage, take the total amount you are paid (whether by the hour, as a salary, by piece rate, or on commission) in a pay period, such as one workweek. Divide that total amount by the total number of regular time (not overtime) hours you worked to earn that money. Be sure to count every hour you worked, including time spent working from home (if allowed by your employer) and any break time for which you should be paid, including breaks that lasted 20 minutes or less and breaks during which you had to work. The hourly rate that you come up with must be at least the minimum wage in Minnesota.

For more information about your pay rights, see What Are My Rights to Pay for Work in Minnesota?
What Is a Tip Credit?

What Is a Tip Credit?

A tip credit is the amount of tips you earn that your employer can count towards its obligation to pay you the minimum wage.

An employer that is allowed to take a tip credit can pay you less than the regular minimum wage, as long as you earn enough in tips to bring your hourly compensation up to at least the minimum wage. Under federal law, for example, the minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, but employers may pay tipped employees as little as $2.13 an hour, as long as the employee earns at least the rest in tips. An employer taking advantage of this lower minimum wage is taking a tip credit of $5.12 an hour.

Not all states allow employers to take a tip credit. Some states that allow a tip credit set the minimum tipped wage amount at $2.13 an hour, like federal law; others have established a higher tipped minimum wage.
The tipped minimum wage in Minnesota is the same as the regular minimum wage: $10.85 an hour. Tips don't count against the employer's obligation to pay the minimum wage.
Are Tip Pools Legal?
Are Tip Pools Legal?
Does your employer require you to pool tips? Tip pooling, sometimes called tip sharing or tipping out, is a common practice in establishments where only some employees receive tips directly from customers, especially restaurants.

In a tip pool, tipped employees put a certain amount or percentage of their tips into a pot, which is then shared among a group of employees. Whether a tip pool is legal depends on who shares in the pool, among other things.

The general rule is that tips belong to the employee who received them. However, employees can be required to pay part of their tips into a tip sharing arrangement, as long as it meets these legal requirements:
- The employer may not share in the tip pool. This includes managers and supervisors. If managers and supervisors receive their own tips for services they directly and solely provide to customers, they may contribute a portion of those tips to the tip pool, but they may not take any money from the pool.
- If the employer takes a tip credit, then only employees who regularly and customarily receive tips may share in the tip pool. For example, wait staff, bussers, and bartenders may be part of the tip pool, but "back of the house" employees -- like cooks and dishwashers -- may not. (Employers that don't take a tip credit may allow back of the house employees to take a share of the tip pool, but only if state law allows it.)
- Only the amount of tips an employee actually takes home counts towards any employer tip credit. In other words, if an employee has to share tips, the employee's hourly wage includes only what the employee got back from the tip pool, not what the employee had to put into the pot.
Am I Entitled to Breaks?

Am I Entitled to Breaks?

Believe it or not, employers in many states have no legal obligation to give their employees any breaks during the work day. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require employers to provide any breaks, and many states follow the same rule. Other states require employers to provide rest breaks, meal breaks, or both.

A small number of states require employers to provide paid rest breaks during the work day.
In Minnesota, employees who work at least eight hours must be allowed to take sufficient time off, unpaid, to eat a meal.
In Minnesota, you are entitled to a paid rest break during every four hours you work consecutively to use the nearest convenient rest room.
How Can I Enforce My Wage and Hour Rights?
How Can I Enforce My Wage and Hour Rights?
If your employer hasn't paid you overtime, hasn't given you legally required breaks, didn't give you a final paycheck, or has otherwise not paid you everything you are owed, you should take steps to assert your rights. There are three things you can do:
- Complain within your company. Use your company's internal complaint process to raise your concerns. Ask the company to investigate and make the situation right. The law protects you from employer retaliation for asserting your wage and hour rights.
- File a wage claim. If your company doesn't resolve your complaint to your satisfaction, find out whether your state has an administrative wage claim procedure. In most states, you can file a claim with the state agency that enforces wage and hour laws. Your claim may be investigated, settled, or sent to an administrative hearing, where you can present evidence that you were not paid properly. It's a good idea to talk to an employment lawyer if you are considering filing a wage claim. A lawyer can help you word the complaint properly, present your best evidence persuasively, and reach the best possible outcome -- all while preserving your arguments for court, if things don't work out.
- File a lawsuit. If other avenues don't work, you can sue your employer in state or federal court for wage theft. At this point, you will definitely need legal representation to persuade a judge or jury to enter a judgment in your favor.
What Is a Wage Claim?

What Is a Wage Claim?

A wage claim is an administrative complaint you can make against your employer with your state department of labor. Most states have created a process for employees to file a wage claim with a government agency, so they can get their claims adjudicated and get the money they are owed, in less time and for less money than it would cost to file a lawsuit.

Not every state has a wage claim procedure, however.

Check the website of the Minnesota Department of Labor & Industry to learn more.
Do I Need a Lawyer for My Overtime or Wage Case?

Do I Need a Lawyer for My Overtime or Wage Case?

In most cases, it makes sense to hire a lawyer to pursue your overtime or unpaid wage claim. This doesn’t mean you should hire a lawyer at the first sign of trouble, however. If you believe your employer hasn’t paid you fairly, start by raising the issue within your company. Ask your manager or your human resource representative about the problem, or file a complaint using your company’s internal complaint process. It is illegal for your employer to retaliate against you for making a wage and hour complaint, whether you make it within your company or to an outside agency or court.

If your company does nothing to address your concerns – or breaks the law by firing or disciplining you for asserting your rights – then it’s time to talk to a lawyer. At this point, your options are to negotiate a settlement of your claims with your employer, file a wage claim against your employer with your state’s labor department (if your state has this type of procedure), or file a lawsuit. Having a lawyer will greatly boost your chances of success in any of these endeavors. And, because most lawyers work on a contingency fee basis in these types of cases, you won’t have to pay the lawyer unless you win. Learn more about finding a wage and hour lawyer.
How Do Wage and Hour Lawyers Charge?

How Do Wage and Hour Lawyers Charge?

Most lawyers that represent employees charge a contingency fee. This means the lawyer gets paid only if the client wins, and only out of the money the client receives as a settlement or court award. When you meet with a lawyer, ask how the lawyer charges, including what percentage he or she will take as a contingency fee.

You will most likely have to pay the costs of litigation, including court fees, transcription costs, copying costs, and so on. Some attorneys will advance these costs for you, paying them out of pocket until the end of the case. If you win, you can use your award to pay the costs.
What Is a Class Action Lawsuit?

What Is a Class Action Lawsuit?

A class action lawsuit is a court case brought on behalf of a group of employees who have similar legal claims against their employer. In a class action case, one lawsuit decides the rights of all employees who are members of the class.

It’s not uncommon for overtime and unpaid wage cases to be brought as class action lawsuits, if the employer applied an illegal policy to a group of employees. For example, if a retail employer required all employees to arrive at 8:30 a.m., spend half an hour cleaning the store and restocking shelves, and then clock in (and start to get paid) at 9 a.m., an attorney might bring a class action lawsuit on behalf of all employees who were subjected to this policy.

Many wage and hour cases involve relatively small dollar amounts. Although every dollar you aren’t paid is undoubtedly very important to you, the overall value of your case might not be high enough to interest an attorney in representing you. When a number of employees combine in one lawsuit, the attorney can bring all of your claims at the same time and earn a higher fee.