Minnesota employers with 30 or more employees at one or more sites in Minnesota must disclose the starting salary range in each covered job posting and provide a general description of all benefits and other compensation, including health or retirement benefits. The salary range must state a minimum and maximum annual salary or hourly compensation based on the employer's good-faith estimate. Open-ended ranges are not permitted. If the employer does not plan to offer a range, the posting must state a fixed pay rate. The law took effect January 1, 2025.
Jurisdiction: Minnesota
Minnesota's Salary Range Law Took Effect January 1, 2025
Minnesota Statutes § 181.173 applies to an employer that employs 30 or more employees at one or more sites in Minnesota. The statute defines an employer broadly to include private entities, nonprofit organizations and governmental subdivisions that meet the threshold. The law took effect January 1, 2025. Employers operating nationally should therefore avoid counting employees only at headquarters or across the enterprise without checking the statute's Minnesota-site language.
The Rule Applies to Solicitation for a Specific Available Position
Minnesota defines a posting as a solicitation intended to recruit job applicants for a specific available position. The definition includes recruitment conducted directly by the employer or indirectly through a third party and includes electronic and printed postings that contain qualifications for desired applicants. This makes vendor governance important. An employer that sends a requisition to a staffing firm or job board should provide the required pay and benefits fields and should verify that the published version preserves them.
Minnesota Requires a Starting Salary Range or Fixed Pay Rate
Each covered posting must disclose the starting salary range for the job opening. The statute defines salary range as the minimum and maximum annual salary or hourly range of compensation, based on the employer's good-faith estimate at the time of posting. A range cannot be open ended. Language such as $60,000 and up does not state a maximum and therefore does not satisfy the statutory design. If the employer does not plan to offer a range for the position, it must list a fixed pay rate instead.
Benefits and Other Compensation Must Also Be Described
Minnesota requires more than the base salary or hourly range. The posting must include a general description of all benefits and other compensation to be offered to a hired applicant, including but not limited to health or retirement benefits. Employers should build this information into the standard requisition template rather than relying on a generic careers-page benefits link unless legal review confirms that the posting itself contains the required description. Variable compensation and other material rewards should be assessed as part of the same disclosure process.
Good-Faith Range Setting Should Be Documented Before Publication
The Minnesota definition ties the range to the employer's good-faith estimate at the time of the advertisement. A practical compliance process therefore starts with compensation approval, not with the public posting. HR or compensation teams should document the approved minimum and maximum, confirm that the range is not open ended, identify whether a fixed rate is more accurate, and capture the benefits and other compensation description. When the compensation plan changes after publication, the employer should update the posting rather than leaving materially outdated information online.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many employees trigger Minnesota's salary transparency law?
The statute defines a covered employer as a person or entity employing 30 or more employees at one or more sites in Minnesota.
Can a Minnesota job posting use an open-ended salary range?
No. The statute says a salary range may not be open ended.
What if a Minnesota employer plans to offer one fixed rate?
If the employer does not plan to offer a range for the position, the posting must list the fixed pay rate.
Related Guides
Official Sources
Requirements and practices differ by jurisdiction and organisation. Check current local law, official guidance and professional advice for a specific situation.