Minimum Wage and Labor Laws Quiz

Minimum Wage Law

• State minimum wage as of January 1, 2025: $11.13 per hour
• 90-day training wage (for those under 20): $9.08 per hour

Overtime Pay

• Overtime pay is 1.5 times the employee's normal hourly wage.
• Minnesota's overtime minimum wage is $15.00 per hour (1.5 times the $10.00 minimum wage).
• Minnesota's overtime cut-off is 48 hours worked in a single week (higher than the national limit of 40 hours).
• Certain occupations are exempt from overtime pay laws (e.g., taxi drivers, seasonal workers, salespeople, agricultural workers).
• White-collar workers and those with alternative overtime arrangements are also exempt.

Maximum Hours of Work for Minors

• Minors under 16: Maximum 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week.
• Minors aged 16 and 17: No restrictions on maximum working hours.

Nightwork Restrictions for Minors

• Minors under 16: Prohibited from working between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.
• Minors aged 16 and 17: Prohibited from working between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. before school, and between 11:30 p.m. and 4:30 a.m. with written parental permission.

Age and Hours of Work (Minors)

• Minors under 16 are restricted by federal law during the school year: No later than 7 p.m., maximum three hours a day, and not more than 18 hours per week.
• Prohibited from working before 7 a.m. or after 9 p.m. except as a newspaper carrier.
• Restrictions on working more than 40 hours a week or eight hours in a 24-hour period (with exceptions for agriculture).
• No work during school hours without an employment certificate from the school district.

Prohibited Work for Minors Under 18

• Working over 12 feet above the ground is forbidden.
• Work near explosives.
• Logging/sawmill jobs aren't permitted for minors under 18.
• Operating forklifts, power equipment (e.g., saws, presses)..
• Construction site work.
• Work using meat slicers/bakery machinery, or as a regular part of driving duties.
• Loading/unloading power-driven equipment.

Prohibited Work for Minors Under 16

• Operation of power-driven machinery.
• Laundry or dry cleaning work.
• Power snow blowers and lawn mowers are not permitted.
• Work on a ladder or scaffolding.
• Cooking or baking.
• Lifting or transporting patients in healthcare settings.
• Walk-in meat freezers.

Agricultural Work Restrictions (Minors Under 16)

• Driving tractors with over 20 horsepower.
• Operating large agricultural machinery (e.g., corn pickers, combines).
• Working with livestock (bulls, boars, etc.).
• Any agricultural work that's not permitted on a family farm (i.e., restricted on a regular farm).
• Agricultural tasks/equipment that are restricted from operating include tractors over 20 horsepower, large agricultural machinery (e.g., corn pickers, combines).
• Working with specific livestock categories like bulls, boars, and livestock in general, such as sows. The rules around livestock types are more broadly defined, meaning the rule applies across categories of livestock and not limited to a specific breed.
• Tasks on family farms are not restricted.

Additional Questions & Answers (regarding age restrictions):

• Question 1 (14-15 year olds on school days): Limited working hours on school days.
• Question 2 (16-17 year olds on school nights): How late can 16-17 year olds work on school nights.
• Question 3 (16-17 year olds off-school days): How late can 16-17 year olds work if school is not in session.
• Question 4 (14-15 year olds in a week): Total weekly working hour limits for 14-15 year olds.
• Question 5 (14-15 year olds on school nights): Restrictions on working hours on school nights.
• Question 1 (under 18, meat slicers): Age restrictions on operating meat slicers.
• Question 2 (under 16, forklift on farm): Restrictions on driving forklifts in farm settings for 16-year-old or younger individuals.
• Question 3 (under 18, pizza delivery): Restrictions on working as pizza delivery people for individuals younger than 18.

Test your knowledge on minimum wage laws, overtime pay regulations, and working hours for minors. This quiz covers key details such as pay rates, exemptions, and restrictions applicable in Minnesota as of 2025. Perfect for students studying labor law or anyone interested in employment rights.