Spring is almost here, which means visible signs of outdoor construction but new national data call into question whether workers in Minnesota and elsewhere will have enough job site safeguards, with workplace safety enforcement rapidly declining under the Trump administration.
The policy organization Good Jobs First compiled recent federal penalty numbers for the Wage and Hour Division and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The authors found noticeable declines compared to past administrations, including President Donald Trump's first term.
Wage and hour penalties dropped by 83%, and health and safety penalties were down 47%.
Siobhan Standaert, research analyst for Good Jobs First and the report's lead author, believes it sets a dangerous tone for protecting hardworking Americans.
"It's gonna be likely that a lot of businesses respond to this and realize that, hey, maybe I can get away with a little bit more," Standaert explained.
The report pointed to a host of deregulatory efforts under the Trump administration as direct causes for the falling numbers. Last summer, the U.S. Labor Secretary said more than 60 planned regulatory rollbacks were aimed at reversing costly and burdensome rules from previous administrations.
Standaert noted states like Minnesota are in a better position to hold the line on widening enforcement gaps but added there are still resource challenges.
In an emailed statement, the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry said for the most part, it has more protective wage and hour laws than the federal government and a comprehensive plan to enforce safe and healthful working conditions. Standaert agreed Minnesota has a robust system to protect workers but warned downward federal pressure still creates headaches.
"I did look at Minnesota's specific penalties from the data that we use for this report, and it looks like in 2025, penalties for wage and hour violations dropped about 70% – from just over $3 million to under $1 million," Standaert reported. "Penalties for workplace safety or health violations went from $1.4 million to nearly zero."
Standaert stressed a major drop in enforcement affects workers in a lot of industries, including retail, hospitality and construction. She pointed out historically marginalized populations in the labor force are at even greater risk, including workers of color, migrant workers and women.
