1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; clarifying the method of 
  1.3             payment of wages by school districts and public school 
  1.4             entities; amending Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 
  1.5             181.101. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 181.101, is 
  1.8   amended to read: 
  1.9      181.101 [WAGES; HOW OFTEN PAID.] 
  1.10     Every employer must pay all wages earned by an employee at 
  1.11  least once every ~~30~~ 31 days on a regular pay day designated in 
  1.12  advance by the employer regardless of whether the employee 
  1.13  requests payment at longer intervals.  Unless paid earlier, the 
  1.14  wages earned during the first half of the first ~~30-day~~ 31-day 
  1.15  pay period become due on the first regular payday following the 
  1.16  first day of work.  If wages earned are not paid, the 
  1.17  commissioner of labor and industry or the commissioner's 
  1.18  representative may demand payment on behalf of an employee.  If 
  1.19  payment is not made within ten days of demand, the commissioner 
  1.20  may charge and collect the wages earned and a penalty in the 
  1.21  amount of the employee's average daily earnings at the rate 
  1.22  agreed upon in the contract of employment, not exceeding 15 days 
  1.23  in all, for each day beyond the ten-day limit following the 
  1.24  demand.  Money collected by the commissioner must be paid to the 
  1.25  employee concerned.  This ~~subdivision~~ section does not prevent 
  2.1   an employee from prosecuting a claim for wages.  This section 
  2.2   does not prevent a school district or other public school entity 
  2.3   from paying any wages earned by its employees during a school 
  2.4   year on regular pay days in the manner provided by an applicable 
  2.5   contract or collective bargaining agreement, or a personnel 
  2.6   policy adopted by the governing board.  For purposes of this 
  2.7   section, "employee" includes a person who performs agricultural 
  2.8   labor as defined in section 181.85, subdivision 2.  For purposes 
  2.9   of this section, wages are earned on the day an employee works.  
  2.10     Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.11     Section 1 is effective the day following final enactment.