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Minnesota dairy charged with wage, housing violations

A Minnesota dairy farm is facing legal action for allegedly not paying employees all they are owed, and for illegally charging rent for substandard housing.

State Attorney General Keith Ellison filed a lawsuit in Stearns County District Court against Evergreen Acres Dairy, Evergreen Estates, Morgan Feedlots, and the dairy operations’ owners Keith Schaefer and Megan Hill.  Ellison issued a statement saying the Paynesville area farm businesses systematically deprived vulnerable, low-wage dairy employees of more than three million dollars in wages they earned by shaving both regular and overtime hours from workers’ paychecks, not paying wages owed at the beginning and end of workers’ employment, and by unlawfully deducting rent for substandard onsite housing that fails to meet standards of habitability.

Ellison says many of the affected workers are unauthorized and come from Mexico with limited or no English-speaking skills. He says the investigation began after receiving tips from area residents.