Workers Protection Unit

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office is committed to workplace justice and protecting the hardworking residents of Hennepin County from exploitation. The Workers Protection Unit is dedicated to ensuring workers in Hennepin County receive the wages they are entitled to, including the minimum wage, tips, prevailing wage (where applicable), and overtime. 

The Workers Protection Unit will also make sure that workers are not: 

• Misclassified as independent contractors
• Subject to coercion or trafficking 

If you believe you have been the victim of wage theft or labor exploitation and wish to speak to staff from the Workers Protection Unit, please call (612) 348-4884 or email workersprotection@hennepin.us. Below are additional resources to report instances of wage theft, labor trafficking, or other possible crimes.

Reporting Labor Trafficking

Call 911, if in immediate danger

Bureau of Criminal Apprehension

• 1 (877) 996-6222
• BCA.Tips@state.mn.us

National Human Trafficking Hotline

• 1 (888) 373-7888

Reporting Wage Theft

To report it as a crime:

• Contact Workers Protection Unit

• Contact your local law enforcement agency

To report it to a civil authority:

• MN Department of Labor and Industry: (651) 284-5075 | Wage theft | Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry
• MN Attorney General’s Office: (651) 296-3353 | Wage Theft
• US Department of Labor: (866) 487-9243 | How to File a Complaint | U.S. Department of Labor
• Your local labor standards enforcement division | Labor Standards Enforcement Division - City of Minneapolis