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Minnesota employers are required to keep certain records about each employee. The Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) can demand and inspect these documents at any time to ensure compliance with Minnesota law.

Information employers must record and keep for each employee

1. Name, address and occupation.
2. Rate of pay and the amount paid each pay period.
3. Hours worked each day (including start and end times with a.m. and p.m.
   designations) and each workweek.
4. For all employees paid at piece rate, the number of pieces completed at each piece rate.
5. A record of each meal accepted by employees if the employer is taking a meal credit under Minnesota Rules 5200.0060.
6. Proof of age of minors employed (birth certificate, driver's license, school-issued age certificate or I-9 form).
7. A list of personnel policies with brief descriptions, including the date the policies were given to the employee.
8. The employee notice required to be provided to and signed by the employee at the start of employment and any written changes to the notice that were provided to the employee.
9. For employers subject to Minnesota Statutes 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. See Minnesota Statutes 177.30 for further information.

The records must be kept at the place where employees are working or kept in a manner that allows the employer to comply with the commissioner's demand within 72 hours.

View a printable fact sheet about recordkeeping laws.