Work comp: Penalties -- Civil actions

Civil actions within the workers' compensation statutes

Obstruction of employee seeking workers' compensation benefits

Minnesota Statutes 176.82 Subd. 1

Any person discharging or threatening to discharge an employee for seeking workers' compensation benefits or in any manner intentionally obstructing an employee seeking workers' compensation benefits is liable in a civil action for damages incurred by the employee including any diminution in workers' compensation benefits caused by a violation of this section including costs and reasonable attorney fees, and for punitive damages not to exceed three times the amount of any compensation benefit to which the employee is entitled.

Refusal to offer continued employment

Minnesota Statutes 176.82 Subd. 2

An employer that, without reasonable cause, refuses to offer continued employment to its employee when employment is available within the employee's physical limitations shall be liable in a civil action for one year's wages. The wages are payable from the date of the refusal to offer continued employment, and at the same time and at the same rate as the employee's pre-injury wage, to continue during the period of the refusal up to a maximum of $15,000. This subdivision shall not apply to employers who employ the equivalent of 15 or fewer full-time employees.