Minn. Stat. § 363A § 363A.04
CONSTRUCTION AND EXCLUSIVITY.
Operative Text
The provisions of this chapter shall be construed liberally for the accomplishment of the purposes thereof. Nothing contained in this chapter shall be deemed to repeal any of the provisions of the civil rights law or of any other law of this state relating to discrimination because of race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, national origin, sexual orientation, or familial status; but, as to acts declared unfair by sections 363A.08 to 363A.19, and 363A.28, subdivision 10, the administrative procedure herein provided shall, while pending, be exclusive. The rights and remedies herein provided are in addition to, and shall not preclude, those available at law or in equity.
Minnesota Statute § 363A.04 establishes that the Minnesota Human Rights Act is to be interpreted broadly in order to fulfill its anti-discrimination purposes. The chapter does not eliminate or replace any other state civil rights laws covering protected characteristics such as race, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, or familial status. However, while an administrative complaint under the Act is pending for acts declared unfair by the relevant sections, that administrative process is the exclusive avenue during that period, and any rights or remedies available through other legal channels remain available in addition to those provided by the Act.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Minn. Stat. § 363A.04, property owners and managers should understand that Minnesota's Human Rights Act works alongside—not instead of—other civil rights protections, meaning compliance obligations can arise from multiple legal sources simultaneously. Operators who face a pending administrative complaint under the Act's unfair-practice provisions should be aware that the administrative process is treated as exclusive while it is ongoing. Compliant operators generally maintain consistent, documented non-discrimination policies that account for the full range of state and local civil rights requirements, not just those enumerated in Chapter 363A.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Minn. Stat. § 363A.04 affirms that tenants retain rights under both the Minnesota Human Rights Act and any other applicable state civil rights laws, so a housing discrimination concern may be addressable through more than one legal framework. If an administrative complaint is filed under the Act's unfair-practice provisions, that process is treated as exclusive while it remains pending, which is a procedural consideration worth understanding before choosing a path. Tenants exploring their options may wish to contact the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, a local tenant-rights organization, or an attorney familiar with Chapter 363A to understand which remedies—administrative, legal, or equitable—may be available in a given situation.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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