Labor & Employment (Minimum Wage) in Minnesota

in committee · Minnesota · Senate Apr 9, 2026

SF 5004: Minor League baseball players exemption from minimum wage and overtime requirements provision

This bill modifies Minnesota's employment laws to exempt minor league baseball players from the state's minimum wage and overtime pay requirements. It achieves this by adding a new provision that excludes individuals with contracts to play at the minor league level, provided their wages and working conditions are set by a collective bargaining agreement. The change directly affects professional baseball teams and the players who sign contracts with them in Minnesota. Once enacted, the law will apply immediately to future employment agreements under these specific conditions.

Topics ✗ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Child Labor Labor Standards Minimum Wage

in committee · Minnesota · House Apr 13, 2026

HF 4952: Minor league baseball players exempted from minimum wage and overtime requirements.

This bill exempts minor league baseball players from Minnesota's minimum wage and overtime pay requirements. It achieves this by adding a new category to the state's definition of "employee," which excludes individuals who have signed contracts to play at the minor league level and are paid according to a collective bargaining agreement. The change directly affects professional baseball players in Minnesota's minor leagues and their respective teams. The legislation is effective immediately upon final enactment.

Topics ✗ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Child Labor Labor Standards Minimum Wage

in committee · Minnesota · House May 4, 2026

HF 5104: Definition of employee under the Minnesota Fair Labor Standards Act modified and whistle blower protections modified to explicitly include incarcerated people, Public Employee Labor Relations Act and Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1973 modified to include incarcerated persons, and inmates in state correctional institutions reclassified as employees.

This bill reclassifies incarcerated individuals in state correctional facilities as employees under Minnesota labor laws. It explicitly includes these inmates in the definitions of "employee" for the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Public Employee Labor Relations Act, and the Occupational Safety and Health Act. As a result, incarcerated people would gain protections regarding minimum wage, overtime pay, whistleblower rights, and workplace safety standards. The legislation also mandates a report to be generated regarding these changes.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage Workplace Safety

in committee · Minnesota · Senate May 11, 2026

SF 5277: Definition of employee modification under the Minnesota Fair Labor Standards Act and whistleblower protections to explicitly include incarcerated people

This bill reclassifies incarcerated individuals in Minnesota correctional facilities as employees under state labor laws, thereby extending protections such as minimum wage, overtime pay, and whistleblower rights to them. By explicitly including these individuals in the definitions of "employee" within the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Public Employee Labor Relations Act, and the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the legislation ensures they are covered by existing labor standards. The measure also mandates a report to track the implementation of these changes, aiming to formalize the labor relationship between the state and its incarcerated workforce.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Corrections Labor Standards Minimum Wage Public Employees

in committee · Minnesota · House Apr 13, 2026

HF 4428: Community engagement requirements established for the medical assistance program.

This bill requires individuals seeking Minnesota medical assistance to demonstrate community engagement through work, education, or community service to maintain eligibility. Applicants must show compliance with these requirements over the two months before applying or renewing, or qualify for specific exceptions. Eligible individuals can meet the requirement by working 80 hours, completing 80 hours of community service, attending school half-time, earning at least the federal minimum wage for 80 hours, or combining these activities. The law includes exceptions for parents of young children, veterans with total disabilities, SNAP recipients, people in addiction treatment, inmates, and those with serious medical conditions or disabilities.

Topics ✗ Education ✗ Healthcare ✗ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse Minimum Wage

in committee · Minnesota · Senate Mar 17, 2026

SF 4492: Small business employer with a private paid leave plan permission to receive assistance grants

This bill allows small Minnesota businesses with 30 or fewer employees and lower average wages to apply for financial assistance grants to help cover costs when employees take family or medical leave. Under the new provisions, eligible employers can receive up to $3,000 for each temporary worker hired or wage increase made to substitute for an employee on leave for at least seven days, with a maximum total of $6,000 per employer per year. The bill removes a previous restriction that barred employers with private paid leave plans from receiving these grants, while requiring documentation that the costs are directly tied to employee leave usage. Funding is capped at $5 million annually from the family and medical benefit insurance account, with applications processed on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Minimum Wage Paid Leave

in committee · Minnesota · House Mar 2, 2026

HF 3878: Quality service wage for covered airport or related location workers required, and penalties provided.

This bill establishes a minimum wage requirement for workers employed at Minnesota's covered airports, including Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and other public airports under the Metropolitan Airports Commission. It applies to private companies and contractors that employ workers performing airport-related duties or preparing food for departing flights, excluding independent contractors and salaried professionals. The law mandates that employers pay a "quality service wage" starting in 2026, which combines the applicable minimum wage with supplemental benefits calculated according to federal Service Contract Act standards. The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry will set the specific wage rate each year and has authority to issue compliance orders with penalties for violations.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage Airports

in committee · Minnesota · House Mar 26, 2026

HF 4392: Wage remediation following delayed federal approval of retroactive rate increases required.

This bill requires wage remediation for individual healthcare providers in Minnesota if a retroactive rate increase is approved by the federal government after a delay. It ensures that providers covered by the collective bargaining agreement with SEIU Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa receive back pay for the period between the original effective date and the actual federal approval date. The commissioner of human services must issue instructions to implement these wage adjustments as soon as federal approval is received, and the law takes effect the day after it is enacted.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Labor Standards Minimum Wage

in committee · Minnesota · House Mar 23, 2026

HF 3525: Federal individual income tax deduction for qualified tip income adopted.

This bill aligns Minnesota's state tax law with the federal tax treatment of tip income. It adds a provision allowing Minnesota taxpayers to deduct qualified tips under the federal Internal Revenue Code (section 224) as a subtraction from taxable income. The deduction applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2028, but is effective retroactively for years starting after December 31, 2024. This directly affects Minnesota residents who earn tip income and file individual income tax returns, potentially reducing their state tax liability.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Income Tax Minimum Wage

in committee · Minnesota · Senate Mar 17, 2026

SF 4060: Quality service wage requirement for covered airport or related location workers

SF 4060 requires employers at specific Minnesota airports to pay workers a "quality service wage" (QSW) starting July 2026. This applies to workers at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Wold-Chamberlain Field, and other airports managed by the Metropolitan Airports Commission, including food service workers for departing flights. The QSW combines the local minimum wage, health/welfare benefits based on federal standards, and local wage rates. Employers must pay at least this QSW, which will adjust annually using federal McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act guidelines. The bill directly affects airport service workers and their employers at designated locations.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

All labor & employment bills