Opinion ID: 478987
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Trial Court's Response to the Jury Inquiry.

Text: 43 During deliberations the jury asked the court, Is there a law that a company must have the final check and vacation owed within 24 hours of termination? (Tr. 624). After consulting with counsel, who were not in the courthouse, the court decided to read Minn.Stat. Sec. 181.13 to the jury. The court also provided a clarifying remark stating an employer must pay wages due within 24 hours of an employee's demand, not 24 hours from termination as presumed in the jury's question. The foreperson of the jury told the court that the question related to whether the appellants had signed the release under duress. The court then reread the instruction on duress. We conclude that the court's reading of the Minnesota statute and rereading of the instruction on duress was neither error nor prejudicial to the appellants and therefore would affirm the district court's denial of the motion for new trial on this ground. 44