In the case of Madison Equities v. Office of Atty. Gen., The Minnesota Attorney General had received complaints from security guards who were employed by Madison Equities (real estate developer). The guards had claimed that they were not being paid overtime wages as Madison Equities used different subsidiaries to issue their paychecks.
The Attorney General sent a request to Madison Equities, asking for their payment practices, properties, and the wages of the security guards. Madison Equities refused to provide the requested information and asked the court to stop the investigations.
The district court denied Madison Equities’ request and ordered them to comply with the Attorney General’s request. Still refusing to comply, Madison Equities appealed this decision, having the court of appeals partially agree with them.
The case was then taken to the Minnesota Supreme Court and Madison Equities was once again ordered to comply with the Attorney General’s demand.
The final ruling of the overtime wage case for the guards is undetermined.
Key lessons from this case:
- The Minnesota Attorney General has the authority to investigate allegations of wage violations and enforce compliance with wage and hour laws, including overtime provisions.
- Employers are required to cooperate with investigations conducted by the Attorney General’s office.
- The Attorney General can order employers to provide information and clarify the scope of investigations when necessary.
If you want to know more about overtime regulations, read our guide on Minnesota Overtime Laws.
