Attorney General Ellison returns $1 million in back wages to 3M employees after unauthorized paycheck deductions

Settlement with 3M will affect 1,690 employees

May 2, 2024 (SAINT PAUL) – Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced today that as part of a settlement with his office, 3M must pay $961,394.93 in back wages to 1,690 employees as a result of unauthorized paycheck deductions. The Assurance of Discontinuance, filed today in Ramsey County District Court, resolves an investigation by Attorney General Ellison’s office into the company’s payment practices.

3M made deductions from its employees’ pay without first obtaining the employees’ voluntary written authorization in violation of Minnesota Statutes section 181.79. These deductions were made to correct various overpayments, which resulted from factors including COVID-19 pandemic-related absences, incorrect calculations of salary base pay, and incorrect overtime calculations.

“It was wrong for 3M to deduct money from workers’ paychecks without their knowledge and agreement,” Ellison said. “I am pleased that 3M was willing to cooperate with my office by returning money to workers and changing its deduction policies going forward.”

Under the terms of the settlement, 3M has also developed and instituted a written protocol for deductions from employee wages, which includes obtaining written authorization from employees prior to making deductions for lost or stolen property, damage to property, or to recover any other indebtedness.

Filing a complaint as a worker

Workers with concerns or complaints about systematic violations of state and federal wage laws can contact the Attorney General’s Office through its online complaint form, which is available in Spanish or English. The Attorney General’s Office can also be contacted by phone at (651) 296-3353 (Metro area) or (800) 657-3787 (Greater Minnesota).