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Wage claim

Overview

If you haven't received the wages you are owed, you can file a wage claim. The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry's Labor Standards Division can help you file a wage claim and recover unpaid wages.

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Minnesota law requires employers to comply with certain timing requirements related to payment of wages:

  • Terminated employees:  In most cases, terminated employees must be paid within 24 hours of their demand for final wages. Generally, without a demand for final wages, a terminated employee’s wages must be paid on the regularly scheduled payday. In some circumstances, final wages must be paid within 24 hours without the employee's demand.  

  • Employees who quit or resign:  Generally, an employee who quits or resigns must be paid in full no later than the next regularly scheduled payday unless an applicable collective bargaining agreement contains a different provision. If the next regularly scheduled payday is within five days of an employee’s last day of employment, payment may be delayed until the second regularly scheduled payday, not to exceed 20 days following the last day of employment.

  • Current employees:  Current employees must be paid all wages earned at least once every 31 days on a regularly scheduled payday.  

In addition to these timing requirements, Minnesota law also addresses:

  • Unlawful deductions:  Generally, your employer may not make deductions from your wages for claimed indebtedness to the employer without voluntary written authorization.

  • Changes in rate of pay or regularly scheduled payday:  If your employer plans to lower your pay, change the basis of your pay or change your regularly scheduled payday, you must be provided with a written notice before the change takes effect.

How to file a wage claim

  1. Contact Labor Standards at 651-284-5075 or email dli.laborstandards@state.mn.us. An investigator will reach out within two business days.

  2. Complete an intake over the phone. You will need to provide:

    • Employer's name, address, phone number, email address and owner name.

    • As much information as you can provide related to wages you may be owed. Examples of relevant information may include your rate(s) of pay, hours worked that weren’t paid or paid properly, amounts of unlawful deductions and pay dates that were missed. 

    • Date of your last workday and the date you demanded final wages (if applicable).

  3. Resolution: Investigators work to resolve the issue in a timely manner.

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