On February 1, 2023, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed the CROWN Act, which stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.” The law prohibits racial discrimination based on natural hairstyles and textures. The CROWN Act, which will go into effect on August 1, 2023, represents a meaningful advancement in anti-discrimination laws for employees in Minnesota. Expanding Protections Under Minnesota Human Rights Act The … [Read more...]
Taunting as Harassment in Age Discrimination Cases
Today’s workforce is comprised of baby boomers, Generation X, millennials, and Generation Z. A diverse range of employees strengthens the workplace by providing a multitude of perspectives and life experiences. However, it is important to be aware of workplace discrimination. Age discrimination involves treating an employee less favorably because of his or her age. Federal Protections Against Age Discrimination The federal Age Discrimination … [Read more...]
New Minnesota Pregnancy Accommodations and Nursing Mother Rights Take Effect
Effective January 1, 2022, workplace protections for expectant and new parents in Minnesota were expanded. As a result of these expanded protections, Minnesota parents no longer have to face the difficult choice between pumping at work to feed their infants or getting paid. The expanded right to pregnancy accommodations also allows more Minnesotans to continue working safely during their pregnancies. The Minnesota Department of Labor and … [Read more...]
State Minimum Wage Increased January 1, 2022
On January 1, 2022, Minnesota’s minimum wage rates increased to $10.33 an hour for large employers and $8.42 an hour for other state minimum wages, including small employer, youth, and training wages. Large employers are employers with annual gross revenues of $500,000 or more. Small employers are employers with annual gross revenues of less than $500,000. The training wage rate is paid to employees younger than 20 years of age for the first … [Read more...]
Minnesota Legal Holiday Laws for Employees
The federal government and Minnesota state government have passed laws designating certain days each year as public holidays. However, whether an employee is entitled to time off on the public holidays or overtime compensation for working on the public holidays depends on whether the employee works for a public or private employer. This blog explains an employee’s rights regarding public holidays in Minnesota. Paid Leave for Federal and … [Read more...]