Minnesota Attorney General forms task force to tackle "worker misclassification"

(St. Paul, MN) -- The Minnesota Attorney General's Office is accepting applications for a task force aimed at studying the impacts and applications of worker misclassification across the state. 

The Attorney General Office's new task force, called the Advisory Task Force on Worker Misclassification, aims to study workers who are mistakenly or intentionally classified as independent contractors instead of employees. Ellison's office says the alternative classification works around "basic federal and state labor-law protections to employees." This includes minimum wage laws, overtime pay, disability accommodations, and other similar laws.

“Misclassifying workers hurts not only those who are misclassified and their families, it hurts all Minnesotans, including businesses who do the right thing by their employees by playing by the rules, and every Minnesota taxpayer who has to make up the slack for law breaking employers,” said Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.

Ellison's office is looking to fill ten positions on the 15 member task force from various backgrounds. Task board members would aim to identify and study worker misclassification, its impact on workers and the business community, and the public overall. You can learn more about the application process by clicking here.