Exercise of rights; retaliation prohibited.
Saint Paul Legislative Code § 224.14
in effectSec. 224.14. - Exercise of rights; retaliation prohibited.
(a) It is unlawful, and a violation of this chapter for an employer or any other person to interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise of, or the attempted exercise of, any right protected under this chapter.
(1) Such rights include but are not limited to the right to earn minimum wage pursuant to this chapter; the right to make inquiries about the rights protected under this chapter; the right to inform others about their rights; the right to inform the person's employer, union, or similar organization, and/or the person's legal counsel or any other person about an alleged violation; the right to file an oral or written complaint with the department or bring a civil action for an alleged violation; the right to cooperate with the department in its investigations; the right to testify in a proceeding under or related to this; the right to refuse to participate in an activity that would result in a violation of city, state, or federal law; and the right to oppose any policy, practice, or act that is unlawful under this chapter.
(2) It is unlawful for an employer or any other person to report or threaten to report, the actual or suspected citizenship or immigration status of a person or their family member to a federal, state, or local agency for exercising or attempting to exercise any right protected under this chapter.
(b) An employer must not take any adverse employment action or in any other manner discriminate against an employee because the employee has exercised in good faith the rights protected under this chapter.
(c) A person injured by a violation of this section may bring a civil action in the district court to recover any and all damages recoverable at law, together with costs and disbursements, including reasonable attorney's fees, and may receive injunctive and other equitable relief as determined by the court.
(d) It is a rebuttable presumption of retaliation if an employer or any other person disciplines, discharges, penalizes, interferes with, threatens, restrains, coerces, or otherwise retaliates or discriminates against an employee within ninety (90) days of the person's exercise of rights protected in this chapter. However, in the case of seasonal work that ends before the close of the ninety (90) day period, the presumption also applies if the employer fails to rehire a former employee at the next opportunity for work in the same position. The employer may rebut the presumption with clear and convincing evidence that the adverse action was taken for a permissible purpose.
(e) Standard of proof. It is sufficient proof of retaliation to show that an employer or any other person has taken an adverse action against a person and the person's exercise of rights protected was a motivating factor in the adverse action, unless the employer can prove that the action would have been taken in the absence of such protected activity.
(f) The protections afforded under this section apply to any person who mistakenly but in good faith alleges violations.
(g) A complaint or other communication by any person triggers the protections of this section regardless of whether the complaint or communication is in writing or makes explicit reference to this chapter.
(Ord. No. 25-55, § 2, 10-8-25)
Source: City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, City Charter, Legislative Code and Administrative Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/mn/st._paul/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIILECO_TITXXIIIPUHESAWE_CH224CIMIWA_S224.14EXRIREPRFetched: 11/1/2026