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Last updated October, 2026
Minnesota Employee Handbook Overview
If you have employees in Minnesota, your handbook should reflect the federal, state, and local rules that apply to them. Minnesota also requires certain employee-rights notices to be included if you provide a handbook. Review the state policies and applicable city policies below when building yours.
What should be included in a Minnesota employee handbook?
Every handbook should address applicable federal and state policies, along with city-specific policies where employees work. These Minnesota policies are a useful starting point:
- Minnesota Paid Family and Medical Leave: Since January 1, 2026, eligible workers can receive partial wage replacement for qualifying medical or family leave, including a serious health condition, bonding with a new child, caring for a family member, certain military-family needs, or personal safety needs. Benefits can cover up to 12 weeks of medical leave and 12 weeks of family leave, with a 20-week combined limit in a benefit year. Employers must provide the required individual notice and workplace poster; the law’s job-reinstatement protection applies after 90 calendar days of employment. Minnesota Paid Leave · Employee notice requirements · Job protections
- Minnesota Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST): Employers must provide paid sick and safe time to employees anticipated to work at least 80 hours in a year in Minnesota, subject to limited exceptions. Under the accrual method, employees earn at least one hour for every 30 hours worked, up to 48 hours a year; unused time carries over, and the available balance may be capped at 80 hours. Lawful front-loading options are also available. Employees can use ESST for their own or a family member’s health and safety needs and other qualifying reasons. Employers that provide a handbook must include the required ESST notice in it. Minnesota ESST guidance · Accrual and carryover FAQs
- Minnesota meal and rest breaks: For covered employees, employers must allow a rest break of at least 15 minutes—or longer if needed to use the nearest convenient restroom—within each four consecutive hours worked. They must also allow a meal break of at least 30 minutes when an employee works six or more consecutive hours. Breaks shorter than 20 minutes must be paid; a longer break can be unpaid only when the employee is fully relieved of work duties. Statutory coverage exceptions and different terms in an applicable collective bargaining agreement may affect these rules. Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry: work breaks
- Minnesota Equal Opportunity Employer Policy: Employers must follow the Minnesota Human Rights Act’s protections against unlawful employment discrimination. Minnesota Statutes § 363A.08
- Minnesota Family Military Leave Policy: Employers must provide up to 10 working days of unpaid leave when an employee’s immediate family member is injured or killed while in active military service. Minnesota Statutes § 181.947
- Minnesota Pregnancy Accommodations Policy: Employers must provide reasonable accommodations for pregnancy and related health conditions as required by state law, including certain restroom, food, and water breaks and other specified accommodations. The required notice of pregnancy and lactation rights must be included in a handbook if one is provided. Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry: pregnant workers and new parents · Employee notice requirements
- Minnesota Pregnancy and Parental Leave Policy: Employees may take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for pregnancy-related needs or in connection with the birth or adoption of a child. Leave taken for prenatal care appointments does not reduce the 12 weeks available under this law. Review how this leave interacts with Minnesota Paid Leave and any applicable federal leave. Minnesota Statutes § 181.941 · Minnesota Statutes § 181.943
- Minnesota Domestic Abuse or Harassment Leave Policy: Employees may take reasonable time off to seek an order for protection from domestic abuse or a harassment restraining order. The laws protect employees from retaliation and set notice and confidentiality rules. Minnesota Statutes § 518B.01 · Minnesota Statutes § 609.748
- Minnesota Personnel Records Policy: Employees have rights to review and obtain copies of their personnel records. A policy should explain how to make a written request and how the employer will respond within the applicable time limit. Minnesota Statutes § 181.961
- Minnesota Wage Disclosure Protection Policy: Employees may disclose their own wages or discuss wages voluntarily disclosed by coworkers without retaliation. Employers that provide a handbook must include notice of employees’ rights and remedies under this law. Minnesota Statutes § 181.172
- Minnesota Lactation Accommodations Policy: Employers must provide required breaks and an appropriate private space for employees to express milk. If an employer provides a handbook, it must include the state’s notice of lactation and pregnancy-accommodation rights. Minnesota Statutes § 181.939 · Employee notice requirements
- Minnesota Crime Victims Leave Policy: Employees who are crime victims or witnesses, and certain family members of violent-crime victims, may take reasonable time off to attend covered court proceedings or provide testimony. The law includes notice and confidentiality protections. Minnesota Statutes § 611A.036
- Minnesota Bone Marrow Donation Leave Policy: Employers with 20 or more employees at one site must provide eligible employees paid leave of up to 40 work hours to donate bone marrow. Minnesota Statutes § 181.945
- Minnesota Voting Leave Policy: Employees may take the time necessary to vote during scheduled work hours without losing pay, including for in-person early voting. Minnesota Statutes § 204C.04
- Minnesota School Involvement Leave Policy: Eligible employees may take up to 16 hours of unpaid leave during any 12-month period to attend their child’s school, preschool, or child-care activities when those activities cannot be scheduled outside work hours. Minnesota Statutes § 181.9412
- Minnesota Civil Air Patrol Leave Policy: Employers with 20 or more employees at one site must provide eligible employees unpaid leave for qualifying Civil Air Patrol service, unless the leave would unduly disrupt operations. Minnesota Statutes § 181.946
- Minnesota Jury Duty Leave Policy: Employers must allow employees to respond to a jury summons and serve without retaliation. They may not require an employee to work an alternative shift on a day the employee reports for jury service. Minnesota Statutes § 593.50
- Minnesota Political Activity Leave Policy: Employees serving on certain major-party committees, or as delegates or alternates to party conventions, may take unpaid leave for those duties after providing the required written notice. Minnesota Statutes § 202A.135
City-specific policies
- Minneapolis Sick and Safe Time Policy: Employers with covered employees working in Minneapolis must follow the city ordinance alongside Minnesota’s ESST law, applying the requirements most favorable to employees. The city’s 2026 amendments align its leave amounts more closely with state law; they do not require a second, duplicate bank of leave. Review the city’s policy, notice, and posting requirements.
- St. Paul Earned Sick and Safe Time Policy: The city’s ordinance covers employees working at least 80 hours a year within St. Paul. Employers must follow the applicable city and state requirements most favorable to employees. A PTO policy that meets the city’s ESST rules can satisfy its leave requirement; review the city’s notice and written-policy requirements as well.
Bloomington’s separate ESST ordinance has been repealed. Employees working there remain covered by Minnesota’s statewide ESST law.
Federal Policies
Don’t forget about federal policies. Which laws apply depends on factors such as employer size, the employee’s work, and whether the business is a federal contractor. The following list also includes common handbook practices.
Core federal and general policies
- Equal Employment Opportunity and Anti-Discrimination Policy
- Anti-Harassment and Complaint Procedure
- Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Policy, if applicable
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Reasonable Accommodation Policy
- Military Service Leave (USERRA)
- Wage and Hour Compliance Policy (FLSA)
- At-Will Employment Notice
- Policies for federal contractors, if applicable, such as pay transparency, whistleblower protection, and drug-free workplace policies
Highly recommended policies
- Workplace Violence Prevention Policy
- Code of Conduct Policy
- Nursing Parents Policy
- Conflict of Interest and Business Ethics
- Disciplinary Procedures
- Use of Company Property
- Employee Classification and Pay Practices
- Health and Safety Policy
- Confidential Company Information
- Open Door Policy
- Receipt of Non-Harassment Policy
- Use of Communication and Computer Systems
- Workplace Searches and Inspections
Additional policies to include, as applicable
- Industry-specific policies
- Sick Leave, Vacation Leave, and PTO Policy
- Company Vehicles Policy
- Punctuality and Attendance
- Benefits
- Working Schedule
- Employment Records
- Smoking
- Overtime
- Performance Reviews
- Social Media Policy
- Remote Work Policy
- Introductory Period Policy
- References
- Hiring Relatives and Significant Others
- Business Expense Reimbursement
Explore these policies in the handbook builder.
Poster Requirements
Understanding labor law poster requirements can feel like decoding a puzzle. You need to check federal, Minnesota, and any applicable city requirements.
Why should I care about displaying posters?
Required posters tell employees about their workplace rights. Minnesota requires specified posters to be displayed where employees can easily see them, and federal agencies have their own requirements. The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry provides its posters at no cost.
What are the requirements for displaying labor law posters?
Display each required physical poster where the employees it covers can readily see it. Electronic access can supplement physical posting. For certain federal notices, electronic posting may satisfy the requirement when the workforce is entirely remote and the notice is readily accessible under U.S. Department of Labor guidance. Check the rule for each poster before relying on electronic posting alone. Some notices must also be accessible to job applicants.
What labor law posters do I need to display?
The answer depends on your workforce and business. Use the free Federal Poster Advisor to identify federal posters, then check Minnesota’s workplace poster page for state posters, including the Paid Leave poster introduced in 2026. Employers in Minneapolis or St. Paul should also check applicable city posting requirements.
How to create a Minnesota Employee Handbook
An employee handbook isn’t just a formality; it’s the foundation of a well-run company. But getting it right means more than putting words on paper. Your handbook should reflect the federal, state, and local rules that apply to your employees, and you should review it as those rules change.
When it comes to building a state-specific handbook, many companies hire an attorney to draft one or start with a template and customize it. A generic template can miss policies that matter where your employees work.
That’s where Handbooks.io comes in.
Answer a short survey about your company, and Handbooks.io helps you create an editable handbook tailored to your choices. Review the finished document against your workplace practices and the laws that apply to your team. Let’s build this thing!
Get started on building your handbook
Creating a new handbook starts with a few interactive questions about your company, such as:
- How many employees do you have?
- Do you have employees in multiple states?
- Do you have an introductory period for new employees?
- Do you offer paid holidays?
- What is your payroll schedule?