In Minnesota, the Human Rights Act mandates that state contractors with more than 40 employees obtain an Equal Pay Certificate after affirming the employer pays men and women equal wages for equal work and complies with equal pay laws. The certificate is obtained through the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR) and must be renewed every four years.
Minnesota Pay Gap Reporting: What You Need to Know
LAST MODIFIED: January 10, 2025
At a glance
Who:
State contractors with 40+ employees
What:
Pay Gap Report
When:
Every four years
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2025 pay gap reporting requirements in Minnesota
When is Minnesota’s pay gap report due?
There is a rolling deadline. Employers must obtain the certificate through the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR) and it is valid for four years.
Who needs to report on pay gaps in Minnesota?
Businesses with 40 or more full-time employees in Minnesota or their primary place of business (for at least one day in the 12-month reporting period) must obtain an Equal Pay Certificate prior to executing a contract with the state of Minnesota exceeding $500,000. Political subdivisions using state funds for capital projects have a $1,000,000 threshold.
Some businesses are exempt based on the type of contract, such as certain contracts for healthcare services, health insurance, and investment options with the State Board of Investments.
What pay gap metrics do I need to report in Minnesota?
To obtain an Equal Pay Certificate in Minnesota, employers must submit an Equal Pay Certificate Application and make an online payment of $250 fee.
As part of the Equal Pay Certificate Application, employers must provide a statement, signed by the company’s most senior leader (e.g., CEO or President), certifying that the company:
- Complies with equal pay and anti-discrimination laws;
- Ensures that average compensation for female employees is not consistently lower than male employees within similar job categories, considering factors like experience and job requirements;
- Avoids restricting job classifications based on gender and makes promotion and retention decisions fairly;
- Proactively addresses wage and benefit disparities to ensure compliance;
- Regularly evaluates wages and benefits to maintain compliance.
To ensure the Equal Pay Certificate is accurate, the application process typically requires a thorough analysis of employee compensation data. Syndio can assist you with completing the pay equity analysis so you can make this certification.
Where do I need to share the pay gap report in Minnesota?
Employers apply for the certification by submitting an Equal Pay Compliance Statement to the Commissioner of Administration. Data submitted for Equal Pay Certificates is generally considered private or nonpublic data. However, the Commissioner’s decision regarding a certificate (issuance, revocation, suspension, etc.) and the business’s application documents are public data.
Syndio’s Global Pay Reports help you centralize and automate reporting for 48 jurisdictions across 43 countries. Our software makes reporting easy, fast, and accurate so you can report with confidence, even as requirements change. And our services team can answer all your detailed questions — we’re experts so you don’t have to be.
Request a demo of Syndio's Global Pay Reports software.
Employers in Minnesota and the EU Pay Transparency Directive
The most significant piece of pay equity, pay transparency, and pay reporting legislation was recently adopted in the European Union: the EU Pay Transparency Directive.
While this Directive will not directly impact employees in Minnesota, employers headquartered in Minnesota will be impacted if they have employees in any EU Member State. Many of the Directive’s pay equity and pay transparency obligations will apply to employers with any employees in the EU. Some obligations, like pay gap reporting, will apply to employers with more employees in the EU.
There’s also a growing trend of countries learning from and adopting elements of pay gap reporting laws from around the world so the EU Pay Transparency Directive may be a roadmap for future developments at the state level in the U.S.
Syndio provides a comprehensive solution for the EU Pay Transparency Directive with everything you need to plan, prepare, and comply. Learn more ->
How Syndio helps with global pay equity, pay reporting, and pay transparency
Syndio provides the technology and expert partnership you need to comply with the growing pay equity, pay reporting, and pay transparency demands around the globe.
- Report your pay data and pay gaps — with Syndio’s Global Pay Reports. Our software supports fast, easy, and accurate compliance with pay reporting in 48 jurisdictions across 43 countries, including Minnesota and for the EU Pay Transparency Directive. Syndio also supports the EU’s CSRD reporting.
- Identify, explain, and fix pay gaps — with Syndio’s PayEQ and OppEQ. Our suite of solutions give you the tools and legally compliant methodologies to analyze, explain, and make progress to close pay and career advancement gaps.
- Keep your pay gaps closed — with Syndio’s Pay Finder. On-demand pay recommendations help managers and recruiters make equitable, explainable pay decisions that don’t exacerbate pay gaps.
- Create a customized action plan — with Syndio’s EU Readiness Strategy Package. Syndio’s team of experts help you build a custom strategy and support project management. This includes a change management strategy session for senior leaders, communications strategy session on pay gap and Right to Information, and ongoing support on best practices and trends.
- Craft tailored communications strategies — with Syndio’s Communications Package. Leverage best practices to build a communications plan that builds your brand while aligning to your values and objectives.
Syndio takes data privacy and security seriously. Syndio is GDPR compliant, SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 2022 certified, and has completed the Cloud Security Alliance CAIQv.4.02 security self-assessment for STAR Level One. Learn more in our Trust Center under “Security Reports.”
The most asked questions about Minnesota's gender pay gap reporting
Syndio helps customers all over the world with their global pay reporting needs. Here are some common questions we get about the reporting requirements under Minnesota's pay gap law.
The information provided on this resource does not and is not intended to be legal advice. All information, content, and materials are provided for general informational purposes only. The links to third-party or government websites are offered for the convenience of the reader; Syndio is not responsible for the contents on linked pages.
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