1. What is the MSP Airport Minimum Wage Ordinance?
The MSP Airport Minimum Wage Ordinance sets a new hourly minimum wage for certain work performed at Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) International Airport.
2. How much is the minimum wage?
The MSP Airport Minimum Wage Ordinance sets an hourly minimum wage that will be phased in between January 1, 2021 at $13.25 and reaching $15.00 an hour by July 1, 2022.
3. When does the Ordinance take effect?
The MSP Airport Minimum Wage Ordinance is effective December 1, 2020; however, the wage requirements are effective on the dates specified below:
On January 1, 2021, the hourly minimum wage shall be $13.25.
On July 1, 2021, the hourly minimum wage shall be $14.25.
On July 1, 2022, the hourly minimum wage shall be $15.00.
4. What are wages?
A wage is the amount of money an employer pays an employee for work they perform for the employer. The term wage does not include health insurance or other benefits provided to employees.
5. Do tips count toward the minimum wage?
No. No employer at MSP Airport may directly or indirectly credit, apply, or use tips or gratuities towards payment of the minimum wage set by the MSP Airport Minimum Wage Ordinance.
6. Which employers at MSP Airport are exempt from the MSP Airport Minimum Wage Ordinance?
(a) The United States government (including FAA, TSA, CBP, etc).
(b) The State of Minnesota, including any office, department, agency, authority, institution, association, society or other body of the state, including the legislature and the judiciary.
(c) Any county or local government, except the Metropolitan Airports Commission.
(d) Providers with certificates issued by the United States Department of Labor or the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry for purposes of subminimum wage payments pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Section 177.28 and Minnesota Rules part 5200.0030, but only to the extent of the workers specifically covered by the subminimum wage certificate.
7. What if I work for two or more MSP Airport employers?
All MSP Airport employers must follow the MSP Airport Minimum Wage Ordinance, unless noted as otherwise in the Ordinance, however not all employees are covered by the wage requirements of the Ordinance – see question 10.
8. What if an employer is based outside of MSP airport, but the employee works at MSP?
An employee who is based outside the Airport and performs work at the Airport on an occasional basis is covered by the Ordinance if the employee in a particular workweek performs at least 2 hours of work for an employer within the geographic boundaries of the Airport.
9. What do I do if my employer refuses to pay the minimum wage?
An employee or other person may report to the Metropolitan Airports Commission Vice President of Human Resources & Labor Relations any suspected violation of the Minimum Wage Ordinance. A report can be made any one of the following ways:
Call: 612‐726‐8196
Email: minimumwage@mspmac.org
Send a letter to: 6040 28th Avenue South, Minneapolis 55450
10. Does the minimum wage apply to every employee that works at MSP Airport?
No. Government employees are generally not covered as described in question 6. In addition, only MSP Airport employees who perform services that materially affect the traveling public who use the passenger terminals of the airport are covered by the Ordinance. Examples of the type of job classifications that are covered by the Ordinance can be found here: https://www.mymspconnect.com/covered-employees
11. Can an employer request the minimum wage requirements be waived?
No.
12. Are collective bargaining agreements exempt?
No.
13. Are employers required to post notices?
Yes. Every employer shall post a notice, in a conspicuous place at every workplace or job site where any employee works, informing employees of the current minimum wage rate and their rights under the Ordinance.
14. What documents or records are employers required to keep?
An employer must create and retain records documenting the wages paid to each employee. These records must be retained for a period of not less than 3 years from the date the hours were worked.
15. How will the minimum wage ordinance be enforced?
If an employer is found to have violated the Ordinance, the Metropolitan Airports Commission Vice President of Human Resources & Labor Relations will notify the employer that they must stop engaging in the violation of the ordinance and may order them to pay the employee the amount they are owed for work they performed after the Ordinance went into effect (the difference between the wage paid and the wage the employee should have been paid for the hours they worked during that period), compensation for the financial or other damages an employee may have incurred because of the Employer’s violation, and/or payment of a civil penalty of up to 1,000.00 for each violation.
16. I want to report a violation, but I am afraid of retaliation. What should I do?
Employers are prohibited from retaliating against employees who report a violation of the Ordinance. Employers who retaliate under the Ordinance are subject to having to pay monetary damages. An employee or other person may report to the Metropolitan Airports Commission Vice President of Human Resources & Labor Relations any suspected violation of the Ordinance in one of the ways identified in question 9.
17. Where can I get more information?
Visit https://www.mymspconnect.com/employee-toolbox/minimum-wage-ordinance
The entire MSP Airport Minimum Wage Ordinance is located on the MAC’s website here: Minimum Wage Ordinance No 129 (Sec of State Recorded)_0_0.pdf (metroairports.org)
You can also send written requests to the Vice President of Human Resources & Labor Relations at 6040 28th Ave S., Minneapolis, MN 55450 or email minimumwage@mspmac.org
