Every employer in Minnesota is required to have proof of age of any employee or applicant who is a minor. (Minn. Stat. § 181A.06.) This must be secured from the minor in the form of an age certificate, a copy of the minor’s birth certificate, a copy of the minor’s driver’s license, or a United States Department of Justice Immigration and Naturalization Service Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9. The Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Industry may impose a fine of up to $5,000 for each child labor law violation. Misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor charges also may be brought.
PROTECTION OF EMPLOYEES WHO REPORT VIOLATIONS OF LAW
“WHISTLEBLOWERS” A Minnesota employer cannot discharge, discipline, threaten, otherwise discriminate against, or penalize an employee regarding the employee’s compensation, terms, conditions, location, or privileges of employment because: • The employee, or a person acting on behalf of an employee, in good faith, reports a violation or suspected violation, or planned violation of any federal or state law or common law or rule adopted pursuant to law to an employer or to any government body or law enforcement official; • The employee is requested by a public body or office to participate in an investigation, hearing or inquiry; or • The employee refuses an employer‘s order to perform an action that the employee has an objective basis in fact to believe violates any state or federal law or rule or regulation adopted pursuant to law, and the employee informs the employer that the order is being refused for that reason. • The employee, in good faith, reports a situation in which the quality of health care services provided by a health care facility, organization, or health care provider violates a standard established by federal or state law or a professionally recognized national clinical or ethical standard and potentially places the public at risk of harm. An employee whose employment is involuntarily terminated may, within five working days following termination, request in writing that the employer provide the reason for the termination. The employer must provide the truthful reason for the termination in writing within five working days following receipt of the request. If the employee was terminated for “whistleblowing” activities, and the employer fails to provide the written reason for termination within the time period specified by law, the employer may be subject to a civil penalty of $25 per day per injured employee, up to a maximum of $750 per injured employee. Communication of the statement furnished by the employer cannot be the subject of a defamation action by the employee against the employer. The identity of an employee making a report or providing information must be kept confidential by the public official or law enforcement officer unless the employee consents to identification or the investigator determines that disclosure is necessary for prosecution. If disclosure is necessary
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