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Legal Information: Minnesota

Minnesota Workplace Protections

Laws current as of
December 18, 2023

Workplace Protections

Under Minnesota state law, your employer cannot fire, discipline, threaten, penalize, or otherwise discriminate against you because you took a reasonable amount of time off work to file for an order for protection for domestic abuse.

However, if you do need to take time off work to protect yourself or your children from domestic abuse, it is your responsibility to give your employer 48 hours’ advance notice. The only time that you don’t have to give 48 hours’ notice is if:

  • you are in immediate danger;
  • your child is in immediate danger; or
  • giving notice is impractical.1

Your employer can ask for proof of why you are absent but s/he has to keep all information confidential.1

If your employer violates this law, s/he can be guilty of a crime. You also have the option of bringing a civil suit for damages against your employer.2

1 Minn. Stat. § 518B.01(23)(a)
2 Minn. Stat. § 518B.01(23)(b), (23)(c)