Minnesota Overtime Laws
Minnesota Minimum Wage — As of January 1, 2026, the minimum wage in Minnesota is $11.41 per hour for all employers, and the state Department of Labor and Industry has already announced the next increase: $11.87 per hour effective January 1, 2027. Workers in Minneapolis and St. Paul earn higher city minimums (Minneapolis is $16.37 in 2026). Minnesota does not allow tip credits at all — tipped employees must receive the full $11.41 per hour from their employer, with tips added on top. Overtime works differently here than in most states: Minnesota law requires time and a half only after 48 hours in a workweek, but nearly every worker is also covered by the federal FLSA, whose 40-hour rule is more protective and therefore controls in practice. Paying the federal $7.25 floor to a Minnesota worker is a violation. If your employer isn’t paying you correctly, contact Frisch Law Firm for a free consultation.
Last Paycheck
Your paycheck is to be issued within 24 hours of your demand for wages (see Minnesota Statutes 181.13). If you quit, your wages are due within the next pay period that is more than five days after quitting. However, wages must be paid within 20 days of separation (see Minnesota Statutes 181.14). In cases where the discharged or quitting employee was entrusted with money or property during employment, the employer shall have an additional 10 calendar-days after the date of the employee’s separation to audit the accounts of the employee before the employee’s wages are to be paid.
