Minnesota Holiday Laws
Despite popular belief no federal law states that employees be required
to have holidays off from work. Employers are also not required to
allow employees to be paid for holidays. Minnesota also does not have a
law in regards to holiday payment or time off. Some companies or
businesses may allow employees to have holidays off but are not
required to pay them for that time. However some companies do pay their
employees for holidays and vacation days.
Federal law states that a company or business may legally be open three
hundred sixty-five days of the year. Through this law employees are
often required to work on holidays, especially if their employer
provides a public service. These include the fire department,
hospitals, elderly care facilities, and the police department. Retail
stores, supermarkets, and other businesses are often also open every
day of the year. No federal or Minnesota state law requires employers
to pay those working on holidays extra or give any special benefit for
the holiday. Some employers may choose to provide this service under
their own discretion.
Federal holidays also do not imply that all employees will have a
holiday off. Federal holidays are for government agencies and the
postal service.
Minimum Wage
In 2009 the federal minimum wage increased to seven dollars and
twenty-five cents an hour. This required all states to increase their
previous minimum wages to at least this minimum amount. Minnesota thus
changes its minimum wage from six dollars and fifteen cents to the
federal minimum. Often times the federal minimum will increase each
year, which will require Minnesota to again increase its wages.
Employees who receive tips on a regular bases may be paid less than the
minimum rate as their tips normally make up for their decreased wages.
The 2007 Fair Minimum Wage Act required the federal wage to increase a
total of two dollars and ten cents once implemented. Any companies or
businesses that do not pay their employees this minimum rate will be
prosecuted for breaking federal law. This requirement however does not
apply to companies that have less than fifty employees or who bring in
less than five hundred thousand dollars in yearly revenues. Businesses
also are not required to have minimum wage requirements unless
interstate commerce is transacted.
Maternity Leave
Minnesota has set maternity leave laws through the state's Family and
Medical Leave Act. Under this Minnesota act an employee is legally
required to take a leave of absence from work in order to care for a
new child and not worry that his or her employment will be terminated.
Under this law a company or business is required to have a minimum of
twenty-one employees in order for any medical leave to be mandatory.
Educational institutions do not have this requirement. Unlike other
states that have twelve weeks maximum of leave, Minnesota instead has a
normal six weeks of maternity leave. Employers have the right to
increase this leave but cannot decrease the amount for any reason.
These weeks must be taken consecutively and not spread among varying
months of time.