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About Search Results
The advisory opinion library currently includes:
- Data practices advisory opinions issued by the Commissioner of Administration from 1993 to the present.
- Open Meeting Law advisory opinions issued by the Commissioner of Administration from 2003 to the present.
The Commissioner's authority is found in Minnesota Statutes, section 13.072. Opinions are nonbinding, but a court may give them deference in a court action. Parties to a court action that act in conformity with an advisory opinion are not liable for certain damages or attorneys fees.
A written, numbered, and published opinion issued by the attorney general shall take precedence over an advisory opinion issued by the Commissioner of Administration.
Results 1 - 7 of 7
Advisory Opinion 17-001
March 22, 2017, ISD 2860 (Blue Earth Area Schools)
This is an opinion of the Commissioner of Administration issued pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 13.072 (2016). It is based on the facts and information ...
Description: A member of the public asked whether he could have access to a former teacher’s time sheet data for a time period following a public court case. The District denied access to the data, arguing that the data were private personnel data because of the existence of a complaint at the District during the same period. The Commissioner opined that the plain language of Minnesota Statutes, section 13.43, subd. 2, classifies the existence and status of a complaint, as well as time sheet data (or other comparable data used for payroll purposes) as public. The District did not reveal the nature or character of the complaint and therefore, the District would not have been revealing private data by providing the timesheet data to the data requester.
Category: Personnel data
Keywords: Personnel data, Time sheets or payroll
Commissioner: Matthew Massman
Advisory Opinion 04-047
July 22, 2004; Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
This is an opinion of the Commissioner of Administration issued pursuant to section 13.072 of Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13 - the Minnesota Government Data ...
Description: Did the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board comply with Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13, when it released data to the public that X had been suspended without pay?
Category: Personnel data
Keywords: Personnel data, Status, Specific reasons and data documenting basis for action, Suspension with/without pay, Time sheets or payroll
Commissioner: Brian J. Lamb
Advisory Opinion 04-032
June 1, 2004; School District 700 (Hermantown)
This is an opinion of the Commissioner of Administration issued pursuant to section 13.072 of Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13 - the Minnesota Government Data ...
Description: Did Independent School District 700, Hermantown, comply with Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13, in responding to a data subject's request for a copy of her time sheets?
Category: Copy costs, Data subjects, Existence of data, Personnel data, Requests for data, Response to data requests
Keywords: Copy costs, Data subjects, Existence of data, Personnel data, Requests for data, Response to data requests, Limit on frequency of access to data, Data not found, Time sheets or payroll, Clarification of request
Commissioner: Brian J. Lamb
Advisory Opinion 01-006
January 12, 2001; Minnesota Department of Public Safety
This is an opinion of the Commissioner of Administration issued pursuant to section 13.072 of Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13 - the Minnesota Government Data ...
Description: Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13, has the Minnesota Department of Public Safety responded appropriately to a request for access to the following data: weekly timesheets for certain employees of the Department?
Category: Personnel data, Security information
Keywords: Personnel data, Security information, Time sheets or payroll, Entity's discretion to withhold
Commissioner: Kirsten Cecil Deputy
Advisory Opinion 00-013
May 1, 2000; School District 698 (Floodwood)
This is an opinion of the Commissioner of Administration issued pursuant to section 13.072 of Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13 - the Minnesota Government Data ...
Description: Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13, did Independent School District 698 (Floodwood) improperly release certain data on District employees?
Category: Personnel data
Keywords: Personnel data, Labor/union access (13.43, subd. 6), Time sheets or payroll
Commissioner: David F. Fisher
Advisory Opinion 97-026
June 11, 1997; School District 203 (Hayfield)
This is an opinion of the Commissioner of Administration issued pursuant to section 13.072 of Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13 - the Minnesota Government Data ...
Description: Would the rights of a data subject be violated, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13, if a government entity provided access to the following data which appear on payroll checks: date of issue, number of check, name of employee, amount of payment, and endorsements?
Is a government entity required to respond to serial requests for public government data, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13, where the government entity has provided the requested public data in other formats and there has been no change in the data?
Is a government entity obligated, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13, to create data in a format that has been specifically requested where the government entity has provided the public data in a different format?
Category: Personnel data, Requests for data
Keywords: Personnel data, Requests for data, Time sheets or payroll, Serial requests
Commissioner: Elaine S. Hansen
Advisory Opinion 97-001
January 2, 1997; Ramsey County
This is an opinion of the Commissioner of Administration issued pursuant to section 13.072 of Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13 - the Minnesota Government Data ...
Description: Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes Section 13.03, has Ramsey County responded appropriately to Mr. Plisner's October 25, 1996, request for access to public data?
Category: Personnel data, Response to data requests
Keywords: Personnel data, Response to data requests, Time sheets or payroll, Inappropriate response, generally
Commissioner: Elaine S. Hansen