1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to employment; increasing the penalty for
1.3 	failure to pay a discharged employee within 24 hours;
1.4 	modifying the penalty for failure to pay benefits or
1.5 	wage supplements; increasing the penalty for violation
1.6 	of migrant worker payment requirements; amending
1.7 	Minnesota Statutes 2004, sections 181.11; 181.74,
1.8 	subdivision 1; 181.89, subdivision 2.
1.9 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.10 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 181.11, is
1.11 	amended to read:
1.12 	181.11 DISCHARGED EMPLOYEE MUST BE PAID WITHIN 24 HOURS.
1.13 	When any such transitory employment as is described in
1.14 	section 181.10 which requires an employee to change the
1.15 	employee's place of abode while performing the service required
1.16 	by the employment is terminated, either by the completion of the
1.17 	work or by the discharge or quitting of the employee, the wages
1.18 	or earnings of such employee in such employment shall be paid
1.19 	within 24 hours and, if not then paid, the employer shall pay
1.20 	the employee's reasonable expenses of remaining in the camp or
1.21 	elsewhere away from home while awaiting the arrival of payment
1.22 	of wages or earnings and, if such wages or earnings are not paid
1.23 	within ~~three~~ two days after the termination of such employment
1.24 	for any cause, the employer shall, in addition, pay to the
1.25 	employee two times the average amount of the employee's daily
1.26 	earnings in such employment from the time of the termination of
1.27 	the employment until payment has been made in full~~, but not for~~
2.1 	~~a longer period of time than 15 days~~.

2.2 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 181.74,
2.3 	subdivision 1, is amended to read:
2.4 		Subdivision 1.Gross misdemeanor.  Any employer required
2.5 	under the provisions of an agreement to which the employer is a
2.6 	party to pay or provide benefits or wage supplements to
2.7 	employees or to a third party or fund for the benefit of
2.8 	employees, and who refuses to pay the amount or amounts
2.9 	necessary to provide such benefits or furnish such supplements
2.10 	within ~~60~~ 30 days after such payments are required to be made
2.11 	under law or under agreement, is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
2.12 	If such employer is a corporation, any officer who intentionally
2.13 	violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a
2.14 	gross misdemeanor.  The institution of bankruptcy proceedings
2.15 	according to law shall be a defense to any criminal action under
2.16 	this section.

2.17 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 181.89,
2.18 	subdivision 2, is amended to read:
2.19 		Subd. 2.Judgment; damages.  If the court finds that any
2.20 	defendant has violated the provisions of sections 181.86 to
2.21 	181.88, the court shall enter judgment for the actual damages
2.22 	incurred by the plaintiff or the appropriate penalty as provided
2.23 	by this subdivision, whichever is greater.  The court may also
2.24 	award court costs and a reasonable attorney's fee.  The
2.25 	penalties shall be as follows:
2.26 	(1) Whenever the court finds that an employer has violated
2.27 	the record-keeping requirements of section 181.88, $50;
2.28 	(2) Whenever the court finds that an employer has recruited
2.29 	a migrant worker without providing a written employment
2.30 	statement as provided in section 181.86, subdivision 1, $250;
2.31 	(3) Whenever the court finds that an employer has recruited
2.32 	a migrant worker after having provided a written employment
2.33 	statement, but finds that the employment statement fails to
2.34 	comply with the requirement of section 181.86, subdivision 1 or
2.35 	section 181.87, $250;
2.36 	(4) Whenever the court finds that an employer has failed to
3.1 	comply with the terms of an employment statement which the
3.2 	employer has provided to a migrant worker or has failed to
3.3 	comply with any payment term required by section
3.4 	181.87, ~~$250~~ $500;
3.5 	(5) Whenever the court finds that an employer has failed to
3.6 	pay wages to a migrant worker within a time period set forth in
3.7 	section 181.87, subdivision 2 or 3, ~~$250~~ $500; and
3.8 	(6) Whenever penalties are awarded, they shall be awarded
3.9 	severally in favor of each migrant worker plaintiff and against
3.10 	each defendant found liable.

3.11 	Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.
 3.12 	Sections 1 to 3 are effective August 1, 2005.  Section 2
3.13 	applies to crimes committed on or after that date.  Section 3
3.14 	applies to causes of action arising on or after that date.