PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES; COMPENSATION AND ALLOWANCES

Minn. Stat. ch. 15A

in effect

Minn. Stat. § 15A.01 AMOUNT.

15A.01. AMOUNT. Subdivision 1. When paid. The yearly salaries of the state officers and employees mentioned in this chapter shall be as herein fixed subject to the provisions of section 16A.17. Subd. 2. Full payment for services. The salaries provided in this chapter for the officers and employees named herein shall be in full payment for all services that may be rendered by them either in the performance of their regular or special duties or while acting as a member or employee of any state board or commission. Subd. 3. Fees collected paid into state treasury. All fees of any nature collected by any officer or employee named in this chapter in the performance of official duties for the state shall be paid into the state treasury. (252, 252-1, 253, 254) 1913 c 400 s 1-3; 1921 c 379 s 1; 1961 c 561 s 11; Ex1971 c 32 s 28; 1986 c 444

Minn. Stat. § 15A.13 OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT.

15A.13. OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT. The annual salaries prescribed by chapter 15A for positions in the unclassified service of the executive branch of the state government are in addition to other terms and conditions of their employment as now or hereafter prescribed by law or the commissioner of management and budget pursuant to section 43A.18, subdivision 3. 1957 c 936 s 12; Ex1971 c 32 s 17; 1979 c 332 art 1 s 9; 1980 c 617 s 47; 1981 c 210 s 54; 2008 c 204 s 42; 2009 c 101 art 2 s 109

Minn. Stat. § 15A.18 APPELLATE COURTS EMPLOYEES.

15A.18. APPELLATE COURTS EMPLOYEES. Within the limits of their appropriations for salaries and subject to the conditions of the appropriations, the appellate courts may employ such technical, clerical, stenographic, and other personnel as is necessary. (252(2)) 1913 c 400 s 1 cl 2; Ex1919 c 29 s 1; Ex1919 c 30 s 1; 1921 c 504 s 1; 1923 c 377 s 1; 1925 c 268 s 1; 1941 c 548 s 3; 1945 c 507 s 1; 1947 c 427 s 1; 1951 c 455 s 3; 1983 c 247 s 15

Minn. Stat. § 15A.22 PUBLIC EMPLOYEES; RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS.

15A.22. PUBLIC EMPLOYEES; RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS. Any employee of the state, its political subdivisions, or a municipality therein who observes a religious holiday on days which do not fall on a Sunday or a legal holiday, shall be entitled to such days off from employment for such observance. Such days off shall be taken off without pay except where the employee has accumulated annual leave, and in that case such days shall be charged against the accumulated annual leave of the employee or unless the employee is able to work an equivalent number of days at some other time during the fiscal year to compensate for the days lost. 1971 c 583 s 1; 1986 c 444

Minn. Stat. § 15A.081 SALARIES; EXPENSES; LEAVE TRANSFERS.

15A.081. SALARIES; EXPENSES; LEAVE TRANSFERS. Subdivision 1. [Repealed, 2Sp1997 c 3 s 19] Subd. 1a. [Repealed, 1976 c 239 s 7] Subd. 2. [Repealed, 1974 c 511 s 16] Subd. 3. [Repealed, 1974 c 511 s 16] Subd. 4. [Repealed, 1977 c 35 s 21] Subd. 5. [Repealed, 1980 c 617 s 45] Subd. 6. [Repealed, 1987 c 404 s 191] Subd. 7. [Repealed, 2Sp1997 c 3 s 19] Subd. 7a. [Repealed, 1Sp1985 c 16 art 2 s 39 subd 1] Subd. 7b. [Repealed, 2003 c 133 art 2 s 21] Subd. 7c. Minnesota State Colleges and Universities chancellor. The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities shall establish a salary range for the position of chancellor of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. The board shall submit the proposed salary range to the Legislative Coordinating Commission for approval, modification, or rejection in the manner provided in section 3.855. The board shall establish the salary for the chancellor within the approved salary range. In deciding whether to approve a salary increase, the board shall consider the performance of the chancellor in areas including educational leadership, student success, system management, human resources, and affirmative action. Subd. 8. Expense allowance. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, positions listed in section 15A.0815, subdivisions 2 and 3, constitutional officers, the commissioner of Iron Range resources and rehabilitation, and the director of the State Lottery are authorized an annual expense allowance not to exceed $1,500 for necessary expenses in the normal performance of their duties for which no other reimbursement is provided. The expenditures under this subdivision are subject to any laws and rules relating to budgeting, allotment and encumbrance, preaudit and postaudit. The commissioner of management and budget may adopt rules to assure the proper expenditure of these funds and to provide for reimbursement. Subd. 9. Transfer of vacation and sick leave; certain appointees. (a) This subdivision governs transfers of accumulated vacation leave and sick leave if the governor appoints the incumbent of a position listed in section 15A.0815 to another position listed in section 15A.0815. (b) An appointee moving between positions in the executive branch shall transfer all vacation leave and sick leave hours to the appointee's credit at the time of the new appointment. (c) The governor may authorize an appointee to transfer accumulated vacation leave and sick leave hours under the following conditions: (1) an appointee moving to a position in the executive branch from a position outside the executive branch may be permitted to transfer no more than 275 hours of accumulated unliquidated vacation leave and no more than 900 hours of accumulated unliquidated sick leave; and (2) an appointee moving to a position outside the executive branch from a position within the executive branch may be permitted to transfer accumulated unliquidated vacation leave and sick leave hours up to the maximum accumulations permitted by the personnel policies governing the new position. The governor shall notify the commissioner of management and budget of any transfers authorized under this paragraph. Ex1971 c 32 s 11; 1973 c 5 s 1; 1973 c 254 s 3; 1973 c 349 s 2; 1973 c 582 s 3; 1973 c 596 s 1; 1975 c 156 s 2; 1975 c 271 s 6; 1975 c 321 s 2; 1975 c 359 s 23; 1976 c 134 s 8,78; 1976 c 166 s 7; 1977 c 35 s 1,2,5,9; 1977 c 430 s 6; 1979 c 192 s 1; 1979 c 332 art 2 s 1; 1980 c 516 s 2; 1980 c 534 s 12; 1980 c 607 art 14 s 25; 1980 c 614 s 123; 1980 c 615 s 60; 1981 c 356 s 90; 1Sp1981 c 4 art 4 s 48; 1983 c 299 s 4-7; 1984 c 619 s 12; 1984 c 640 s 32; 1984 c 654 art 2 s 40,41; art 3 s 15; art 5 s 58; 1985 c 11 s 2; 1Sp1985 c 10 s 40,41; 1Sp1985 c 11 s 9,10; 1Sp1985 c 13 s 91,92; 1Sp1985 c 14 art 9 s 2; art 10 s 1; 1Sp1985 c 16 art 2 s 40 subd 1; 1Sp1985 c 17 s 3,4,13; 1986 c 444; 1Sp1986 c 1 art 10 s 3; 1987 c 186 s 15; 1987 c 403 art 2 s 1; 1987 c 404 s 72-74; 1988 c 667 s 1,2; 1989 c 334 art 6 s 3; 1989 c 335 art 1 s 58; 1990 c 375 s 3; 1990 c 506 art 2 s 7; 1990 c 571 s 1,2; 1991 c 233 s 38; 1991 c 345 art 2 s 9; 1991 c 356 art 9 s 1; 1993 c 146 art 3 s 6; 1994 c 483 s 1; 1994 c 560 art 2 s 4-6; 1994 c 628 art 1 s 1; art 3 s 4,5; 1995 c 212 art 3 s 59; art 4 s 64; 1995 c 247 art 2 s 54; 1995 c 248 art 2 s 7; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 16 s 13; 1996 c 425 s 2; 2Sp1997 c 3 s 2-4; 2000 c 453 s 1,2; 2004 c 233 s 1; 2008 c 204 s 42; 2009 c 101 art 2 s 109

Minn. Stat. § 15A.082 COMPENSATION COUNCIL.

15A.082. COMPENSATION COUNCIL. Subdivision 1. Creation. A Compensation Council is created each odd-numbered year to establish the compensation of constitutional officers and the heads of state and metropolitan agencies identified in section 15A.0815, to assist the legislature in establishing the compensation of justices of the supreme court and judges of the court of appeals and district court, and to determine the daily compensation for voting members of the Direct Care and Treatment executive board. Subd. 2. Membership. (a) The Compensation Council consists of the following members: eight nonjudges appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court, of whom no more than four may belong to the same political party; and one member from each congressional district appointed by the governor, of whom no more than four may belong to the same political party. The speaker and minority leader of the house of representatives must each appoint two members. The majority leader and minority leader of the senate must each appoint two members. Appointments must be made after the first Monday in January and before January 15. The compensation and removal of members shall be as provided in section 15.059, subdivisions 3 and 4. Members continue to serve until new members are appointed. Members appointed by the governor may not vote on the salary of the governor. The Legislative Coordinating Commission shall provide the council with administrative and support services. The commissioner of management and budget must provide analytical and policy support to the council related to the compensation of agency heads. The provision of analytical and policy support under this subdivision shall not be considered ex parte communication under subdivision 7. (b) Members appointed under paragraph (a) may not be a: (1) current or former judge; (2) current lobbyist registered under Minnesota law; (3) current employee in the judicial, legislative, or executive branch of state government; (4) current or former governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, or state auditor; or (5) current or former legislator, or the spouse of a current legislator. Subd. 3. Submission of recommendations and determination. (a) By September 1 in each even-numbered year, the Compensation Council shall submit to the speaker of the house and the president of the senate salary recommendations for justices of the supreme court, and judges of the court of appeals and district court. The recommended salaries take effect on July 1 of the next year and July 1 of the subsequent even-numbered year, unless the legislature by law provides otherwise. The salary recommendations take effect if an appropriation of money to pay the recommended salaries is enacted after the recommendations are submitted and before their effective date. Recommendations may be expressly modified or rejected. (b) By April 1 in each odd-numbered year, the Compensation Council must prescribe salaries for constitutional officers, and for the agency and metropolitan agency heads identified in section 15A.0815. The prescribed salary for each office must take effect July 1 of that year and July 1 of the subsequent even-numbered year and at whatever interval the council determines thereafter, unless the legislature by law provides otherwise. An appropriation by the legislature to fund the relevant office, branch, or agency of an amount sufficient to pay the salaries prescribed by the council constitutes a prescription by law as provided in the Minnesota Constitution, article V, sections 4 and 5. (c) By April 1 in each odd-numbered year, the Compensation Council must prescribe daily compensation for voting members of the Direct Care and Treatment executive board. The recommended daily compensation takes effect on July 1 of that year and July 1 of the subsequent even-numbered year and at whatever interval the council recommends thereafter, unless the legislature by law provides otherwise. Subd. 4. Criteria. In making compensation recommendations and determinations, the council shall consider the amount of compensation paid in government service and the private sector to persons with similar qualifications, the amount of compensation needed to attract and retain experienced and competent persons, and the ability of the state to pay the recommended compensation. Subd. 4a. Constitutional officers. No constitutional officer whose compensation is set under this section may receive monetary compensation for unused vacation or sick leave accruals. Subd. 5. [Repealed, 1987 c 404 s 191] Subd. 6. Expiration. Each Compensation Council shall expire upon submission of the recommendations required by subdivision 3. Subd. 7. No ex parte communications. Members may not have any communication with a constitutional officer, a head of a state agency, a member of the judiciary, or a member of the Direct Care and Treatment executive board during the period after the first meeting is convened under this section and the date the prescribed and recommended salaries and daily compensation are submitted under subdivision 3. This subdivision does not apply to testimony provided to the council in the course of an official council meeting or to other communications when a majority of the members are present. This subdivision does not preclude a member who is an attorney from communicating with an agency head, judge, or justice as necessary to represent a client. 1983 c 299 s 8; 1984 c 654 art 2 s 42; 1Sp1985 c 13 s 93,94; 1988 c 686 art 1 s 43; 1991 c 22 s 1; 1991 c 345 art 1 s 51; 1992 c 592 s 4; 1994 c 560 art 2 s 7,8; 1994 c 628 art 1 s 2; 1995 c 236 s 1; 2Sp1997 c 3 s 18; 1998 c 254 art 2 s 4,5; 2013 c 124 s 3-6; 2013 c 142 art 6 s 6-8; 2014 c 312 art 4 s 4-6; 2023 c 62 art 2 s 39-43; 2024 c 125 art 5 s 8-10; 2024 c 127 art 50 s 8-10; 2025 c 39 art 2 s 27,28

Minn. Stat. § 15A.083 SALARIES FOR POSITIONS IN THE JUDICIAL BRANCH.

15A.083. SALARIES FOR POSITIONS IN THE JUDICIAL BRANCH. Subdivision 1. [Repealed, 1987 c 404 s 191] Subd. 2. [Repealed, 1996 c 310 s 1] Subd. 3. [Repealed, 1996 c 310 s 1] Subd. 4. Ranges for other judicial positions. Salaries or salary ranges are provided for the following positions in the judicial branch of government. The appointing authority of any position for which a salary range has been provided shall fix the individual salary within the prescribed range, considering the qualifications and overall performance of the employee. If district court administrators die, the amounts of their unpaid salaries for the months in which their deaths occur must be paid to their estates. The salary of the state public defender shall be fixed by the State Board of Public Defense but must not exceed the salary of a district court judge. | Salary or Range | Effective July 1, 1994 Board on Judicial Standards executive director | $44,000-60,000 Subd. 4a. [Repealed, 1979 c 332 art 2 s 7] Subd. 5. Tax Court. The salary of a judge of the Tax Court is 98.52 percent of the salary for a district court judge. The salary of the chief Tax Court judge is 98.52 percent of the salary for a chief district court judge. Subd. 6. Referee salaries. Notwithstanding any other law or ordinance to the contrary, no referee or administrative law judge employed by a court in this state shall receive a salary which is in excess of 90 percent of the salary paid a judge of the employing court. Subd. 6a. Administrative law judge; salaries. The salary of the chief administrative law judge is 98.52 percent of the salary of a chief district court judge. The salaries of the deputy chief judge and judge supervisors employed by the Office of Administrative Hearings are 100 percent of the salary of a district court judge. The salary of an administrative law judge employed by the Office of Administrative Hearings is 98.52 percent of the salary of a district court judge as set under section 15A.082, subdivision 3. Subd. 7. Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals and compensation judges. Salaries of judges of the Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals are 105 percent of the salary for workers' compensation judges of the Office of Administrative Hearings. The salary of the chief judge of the Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals is 107 percent of the salary for workers' compensation judges of the Office of Administrative Hearings. Salaries of compensation judges are 98.52 percent of the salary of district court judges. Ex1971 c 32 s 12; 1973 c 564 s 3; 1973 c 596 s 2; 1973 c 598 s 4; 1974 c 355 s 35; 1975 c 381 s 1; 1976 c 2 s 2; 1976 c 134 s 78; 1977 c 35 s 13; 1977 c 307 s 1,29; 1977 c 432 s 46; 1978 c 674 s 4; 1978 c 793 s 40,41; 1979 c 332 art 2 s 2-4; 1980 c 614 s 49; 1981 c 224 s 16; 1981 c 346 s 7; 1983 c 299 s 9-11; 1983 c 301 s 66,236; 1984 c 640 s 32; 1984 c 654 art 2 s 43; 1986 c 444; 1986 c 464 s 1; 1987 c 404 s 75; 1988 c 667 s 3; 1990 c 571 s 3-5; 1992 c 567 art 3 s 1; 1993 c 122 s 1; 1994 c 560 art 2 s 9; 2Sp1997 c 3 s 6-8; 1998 c 366 s 89; 1998 c 390 art 5 s 1-3; 1Sp2001 c 9 art 18 s 8; 2002 c 379 art 1 s 113; 2007 c 54 art 5 s 4; 1Sp2017 c 4 art 2 s 17,18; 2018 c 185 art 1 s 1; 1Sp2019 c 10 art 2 s 8; 2024 c 123 art 17 s 13

Minn. Stat. § 15A.086 LIMITS ON BONUS PAYMENTS.

15A.086. LIMITS ON BONUS PAYMENTS. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, an employee of the State Lottery or of a public corporation or nonprofit corporation created by law may not receive bonus payments in any year that exceed ten percent of the employee's base salary for that year. For purposes of this section, bonus payments include any combination of merit pay, achievement awards, or any other cash payments in addition to base salary, other than severance pay or overtime or holiday pay. Groups covered by this section include, but are not limited to, the Workers' Compensation Reinsurance Association, the Minnesota Insurance Guaranty Association, the Fair plan, the Joint Underwriters Association, the Minnesota Joint Underwriters Association, the Life and Health Guaranty Association, the Minnesota Comprehensive Health Association, the Minnesota State High School League, Enterprise Minnesota, Inc., Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, Minnesota Project Outreach Corporation, and the State Agricultural Society. This section does not give any entity authority to grant a bonus not otherwise authorized by law. 1993 c 192 s 42; 2000 c 260 s 7; 2002 c 379 art 1 s 6; 2008 c 290 s 2

Minn. Stat. § 15A.0815 SALARY LIMITS FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYEES.

15A.0815. SALARY LIMITS FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYEES. Subdivision 1. Salary limits. The appropriate appointing authority shall set the salary rates for positions listed in this section based upon the salaries prescribed by the Compensation Council established under section 15A.082. Subd. 2. Agency head salaries. The salary for a position listed in this subdivision shall be determined by the Compensation Council under section 15A.082. The commissioner of management and budget must publish the salaries on the department's website. This subdivision applies to the following positions: Commissioner of administration; Commissioner of agriculture; Commissioner of education; Commissioner of children, youth, and families; Commissioner of commerce; Commissioner of corrections; Commissioner of health; Commissioner, Minnesota Office of Higher Education; Commissioner, Minnesota IT Services; Commissioner, Housing Finance Agency; Commissioner of human rights; Commissioner of human services; Commissioner of labor and industry; Commissioner of management and budget; Commissioner of natural resources; Commissioner, Pollution Control Agency; Commissioner of public safety; Commissioner of revenue; Commissioner of employment and economic development; Commissioner of transportation; Commissioner of veterans affairs; Executive director of the Gambling Control Board; Executive director of the Minnesota State Lottery; Executive director of the Office of Cannabis Management; Commissioner of Iron Range resources and rehabilitation; Commissioner, Bureau of Mediation Services; Ombudsman for mental health and developmental disabilities; Ombudsperson for corrections; Chair, Metropolitan Council; Chair, Metropolitan Airports Commission; School trust lands director; Executive director of pari-mutuel racing; Commissioner, Public Utilities Commission; Chief Executive Officer, Direct Care and Treatment; and Director of the Office of Emergency Medical Services. Subd. 3. MS 2022 [Repealed, 2023 c 62 art 2 s 133] Subd. 4. MS 2022 [Repealed, 2023 c 62 art 2 s 133] Subd. 5. MS 2022 [Repealed, 2023 c 62 art 2 s 133] 2Sp1997 c 3 s 5; 1998 c 351 s 1; 2000 c 501 s 1,2; 1Sp2001 c 4 art 6 s 6; 1Sp2001 c 10 art 2 s 18,19; 2003 c 130 s 12; 1Sp2003 c 2 art 5 s 1; 1Sp2003 c 4 s 1; 2004 c 206 s 6; 2005 c 55 s 3; 2005 c 56 s 1; 2005 c 107 art 2 s 60; 2008 c 204 s 3,42; 2008 c 363 art 13 s 15,16; 2009 c 101 art 2 s 23,109; 2012 c 249 s 1; 2013 c 99 art 2 s 29; 2013 c 125 art 1 s 8; 2013 c 142 art 6 s 2-5; 2013 c 99 art 2 s 29; 2014 c 151 s 1; 2015 c 3 s 2,3; 2016 c 173 s 7; 2017 c 94 art 7 s 5; 1Sp2019 c 5 art 3 s 2; 2023 c 62 art 2 s 37,38; 2023 c 70 art 12 s 5; 2024 c 121 art 2 s 2; 2024 c 122 art 2 s 1; 2024 c 125 art 5 s 7; 2024 c 127 art 50 s 7; art 64 s 1

Minn. Stat. § 15A.0825 LEGISLATIVE SALARY COUNCIL.

15A.0825. LEGISLATIVE SALARY COUNCIL. Subdivision 1. Membership. (a) The Legislative Salary Council consists of the following members: (1) one person, who is not a judge, from each congressional district, appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court; and (2) one person from each congressional district, appointed by the governor. (b) If Minnesota has an odd number of congressional districts, the governor and the chief justice must each appoint an at-large member, in addition to a member from each congressional district. (c) One-half of the members appointed by the governor and one-half of the members appointed by the chief justice must belong to the political party that has the most members in the legislature. One-half of the members appointed by the governor and one-half of the members appointed by the chief justice must belong to the political party that has the second most members in the legislature. (d) None of the members of the council may be: (1) a current or former legislator, or the spouse of a current legislator; (2) a current or former lobbyist registered under Minnesota law; (3) a current employee of the legislature; (4) a current or former judge; (5) a current or former governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, or state auditor; or (6) a current employee of an entity in the executive or judicial branch. Subd. 2. Appointments; convening authority; first meeting in odd-numbered year. Appointing authorities must make their appointments after the first Monday in January and before January 15 in each odd-numbered year. Appointing authorities who determine that a vacancy exists under subdivision 3, paragraph (b), must make an appointment to fill that vacancy by January 15 in each odd-numbered year. The governor shall designate one member to convene and chair the first meeting of the council, that must occur by February 15 of each odd-numbered year. At its first meeting, the council must elect a chair from among its members. Subd. 3. Terms. (a) Except for the first term following redistricting, a term is four years or until new appointments are made after congressional redistricting as provided in subdivision 4. Members may serve no more than two full terms or portions of two consecutive terms. (b) If a member ceases to reside in the congressional district that the member resided in at the time of appointment as a result of moving or redistricting, the appointing authority who appointed the member must appoint a replacement who resides in the congressional district to serve the unexpired term. Subd. 4. Appointments following redistricting. Appointing authorities shall make appointments after a congressional redistricting plan is adopted. Appointing authorities shall make appointments in accordance with the timing requirements in subdivision 2. Members that reside in an even-numbered district shall be appointed to a term of two years following redistricting. Members that reside in an odd-numbered district shall be appointed to a term of four years following redistricting. Subd. 5. Removal; vacancies. Members may be removed only for cause, after notice and a hearing, for missing three consecutive meetings, or as a result of redistricting. The chair of the council or a designee shall inform the appointing authority of a member missing three consecutive meetings. After the second consecutively missed meeting and before the next meeting, the chair or a designee shall notify the member in writing that the member may be removed for missing the next meeting. In the case of a vacancy on the council, the appointing authority shall appoint a person to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term. Subd. 6. Compensation. Members shall be compensated under section 15.059, subdivision 3. Subd. 7. Duties. By March 31 of each odd-numbered year, the council must prescribe salaries for legislators to take effect July 1 of that year. In setting salaries, the council must take into account any other legislative compensation provided to the legislators by the state and the most recent budget forecast. The council must submit a report by March 31 of each odd-numbered year with the prescribed salaries to the governor, the majority and minority leaders of the senate and the house of representatives, the chairs of the committees in the senate and the house of representatives with jurisdiction over the legislature's budget, and the chairs of the committees in the senate and house of representatives with jurisdiction over finance. The report must describe the council's rationale for selecting the prescribed salaries. Subd. 8. Chair. The council shall elect a chair from among its members. Subd. 9. Staffing. The Legislative Coordinating Commission shall provide administrative and support services for the council. The provision of administrative and support services under this subdivision shall not be considered ex parte communication under subdivision 10. Subd. 10. No ex parte communications. Members may not have any communication with a member of the legislature during the period after the first meeting is convened under subdivision 2 and the date the legislator salaries are submitted under subdivision 7. 2014 c 282 s 1; 2017 c 40 art 1 s 3; 2023 c 62 art 2 s 44-48

Source: Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes (revisor.mn.gov)URL: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/15AFetched: 10/19/2026