Minnesota Statutes

Minn. Stat. § 177.30 (2026)

Keeping Records; Penalty

✓ current as of May 2026
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(a) Every employer subject to sections 177.21 to 177.44 must make and keep a record of:

(1) the name, address, and occupation of each employee;

(2) the rate of pay, and the amount paid each pay period to each employee;

(3) the hours worked each day and each workweek by the employee, including for all employees paid at piece rate, the number of pieces completed at each piece rate;

(4) a list of the personnel policies provided to the employee, including the date the policies were given to the employee and a brief description of the policies;

(5) a copy of the notice provided to each employee as required by section 181.032, paragraph (d), including any written changes to the notice under section 181.032, paragraph (f);

(6) for each employer subject to sections 177.41 to 177.44, and while performing work on public works projects funded in whole or in part with state funds, the employer shall furnish under oath signed by an owner or officer of an employer to the contracting authority and the project owner every two weeks, a certified payroll report with respect to the wages and benefits paid each employee during the preceding weeks specifying for each employee: name; identifying number; prevailing wage master job classification; hours worked each day; total hours; rate of pay; gross amount earned; each deduction for taxes; total deductions; net pay for week; dollars contributed per hour for each benefit, including name and address of administrator; benefit account number; and telephone number for health and welfare, vacation or holiday, apprenticeship training, pension, and other benefit programs;

(7) earnings statements for each employee for each pay period as required by section 181.032, paragraphs (a) and (b); and

(8) other information the commissioner finds necessary and appropriate to enforce sections 177.21 to 177.435. The records must be kept for three years in the premises where an employee works except each employer subject to sections 177.41 to 177.44, and while performing work on public works projects funded in whole or in part with state funds, the records must be kept for three years after the contracting authority has made final payment on the public works project.

(b) All records required to be kept under paragraph (a) must be readily available for inspection by the commissioner upon demand. The records must be either kept at the place where employees are working or kept in a manner that allows the employer to comply with this paragraph within 72 hours.

(c) The commissioner may fine an employer up to $1,000 for each failure to maintain records as required by this section, and up to $5,000 for each repeated failure. This penalty is in addition to any penalties provided under section 177.32, subdivision 1. In determining the amount of a civil penalty under this subdivision, the appropriateness of such penalty to the size of the employer's business and the gravity of the violation shall be considered.

(d) If the records maintained by the employer do not provide sufficient information to determine the exact amount of back wages due an employee, the commissioner may make a determination of wages due based on available evidence.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 15 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1987–2023 · leading case: Milner v. Farmers Ins. Exch., 748 N.W.2d 608 (Minn. 2008).
Milner v. Farmers Ins. Exch., 748 N.W.2d 608 (Minn. 2008). · cites it 14× “Minn.Stat. § 177.30. The Act can be enforced by the Commissioner of Labor and Industry or through civil actions brought by private parties.”
Burt v. Rackner, Inc., 902 N.W.2d 448 (Minn. 2017). · cites it 2× “, Minn. Stat. §§ 177.30 (b) (providing administrative fines for an employer who violates the section “in addition to any penalties provided under section 177.”
Le v. Regency Corp., 957 F. Supp. 2d 1079 (D. Minnesota 2013). · cites it 4× “3 To the extent Count II of Plaintiffs’ Amended Complaint asserts a record-keeping claim under the MFLSA, the Court concludes that Count II must also be dismissed. Minnesota Statute Section 177.30 requires employers to make and keep records that include “the hours worked each…”
Minnesota Living Assistance v. Ken B. Peterson, 899 F.3d 548 (8th Cir. 2018). “The order assessed a penalty of $1,000 for failure to keep records pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 177.30 and required Baywood to pay back wages of $557,714.”
In re Fedex Ground Package Sys., Inc., 273 F.R.D. 424 (N.D. Ind. 2008). · cites it 2× “1, Failure to Keep Records Law, Minn.Stat. § 177.30, and Consumer Fraud Act, Minn.”
Cruz v. Lawson Software, Inc., 764 F. Supp. 2d 1050 (D. Minnesota 2011). · cites it 2× “See Minn. Stat. § 177.30 (requiring employers to keep records of “employees”); Minn.”
Luiken v. Domino's Pizza, LLC, 654 F. Supp. 2d 973 (D. Minnesota 2009). · cites it 9× “In Count Five, Plaintiffs allege that Domino’s willfully failed to maintain necessary records as required by Minn. Stat. § 177.30 . In Count Six, Plaintiffs assert that Domino’s failed to provide Plaintiffs with earning statements pursuant to Minn.”
In re Fedex Ground Package Sys., Inc., Emp. Practices Litig., 283 F.R.D. 427 (N.D. Ind. 2012). · cites it 2× “1, Failure to Keep Records Law, Minn.Stat. § 177.30, and Consumer Fraud Act, Minn.”
Burch v. Qwest Commc'ns Int'l, Inc., 677 F. Supp. 2d 1101 (D. Minnesota 2009). “Minnesota Record Keeping Claim Plaintiffs assert that Qwest violated Minnesota Statute § 177.30 by not making and keeping a record of time spent by class members working off the clock.”
Rios v. Jennie-O Turkey Store, Inc., 793 N.W.2d 309 (Minn. Ct. App. 2011). “Appellants’ initial complaint makes a single reference to the recordkeeping requirements of the MFLSA in the class-action allegations, identifying as a common *318 issue “[wjhether Defendant accurately recorded and retained accurate records of Plaintiffs’ compensable work and…”
In Re the Wage & Hour Violation of Kokesch, 411 N.W.2d 559 (Minn. Ct. App. 1987). · cites it 2× “As a result, the Commissioner gave notice of a hearing on the alleged violation of section 177.30, by a failure to keep employee records.”
Fiebelkorn v. Ikon Off. Solutions, Inc., 668 F. Supp. 2d 1178 (D. Minnesota 2009). “Count VII also cites Minnesota Statutes § 177.30, but Fiebelkorn has abandoned his reliance on that statute.”
— Minn. Stat. § 177.30(a)(5) — 1 case
Luiken v. Domino's Pizza, LLC, 654 F. Supp. 2d 973 (D. Minnesota 2009). “In Count Five, Plaintiffs allege that Domino’s willfully failed to maintain necessary records as required by Minn. Stat. § 177.30 . In Count Six, Plaintiffs assert that Domino’s failed to provide Plaintiffs with earning statements pursuant to Minn.”
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