Minnesota
Paid Family and Medical Leave
Use these resources to help you better understand Minnesota's PFML program.
Who is Covered?
Employers
Covered
- Nearly all employers, including private-sector employers, state and local governments, state colleges and universities, public schools and charter schools
Not Covered
- Federal government employers
- Self-employed individuals, independent contractors
Employees
Covered
- Nearly all employees, including those employed by private employers, state and local government employers, state colleges and universities, public and charter schools
- Domestic workers
- Employees must have earned at least 5.3% of the state's average annual wage over the base period
Not Covered
- Federal government employees
- Self-employed individuals, but may opt in
- Independent contractors, but may opt in
- Certain seasonal employees
* Requirements apply
Types of Leave
Family
Leave to care for a family member who is in the military or who has a serious health condition
Definition:
Family includes a spouse or domestic partner; child; parent or legal guardian; sibling; grandchild; grandparent or spouse’s grandparent; son-in-law or daughter-in-law; and “an individual who has a relationship with the applicant that creates an expectation and reliance that the applicant care for the individual, whether or not the applicant and individual reside together"
Medical
Leave for an employee's own serious health condition, including medical care related to pregnancy.
Military
Leave to address a qualifying need arising out of a family member's active duty service or notice of an impending call or order to active duty in the United States armed forces
Condition:
The military member for whom an employee takes leave (except a deceased military member) must be a resident of Minnesota
Safe
Leave for domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking of the employee or employee’s family member
An employee may take up to 12 weeks of paid leave for their own serious health condition and up to 12 weeks for bonding, family care, safety or qualifying exigency. Employees are limited to a maximum of 20 weeks of paid leave in a benefit year.
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Benefit Amount: 90% of a worker’s average weekly wage (AWW) for the portion of their wages that is less than or equal to 50% of the state AWW, plus 66% of the portion of their wages that exceeds 50% but is less than 100% of the state AWW, plus 55% of wages that exceed 100% of the state's AWW
Maximum weekly benefit: capped at 100% of the state average weekly wage |
Things to Consider
How will these plans affect employers, labor unions, and associations?
- Paid leave, short-term disability plans, and long-term disability plans have often been negotiated between management and employee bargaining units.
- How will the new program affect the ability to negotiate specific needs on behalf of employees?
- How will this impact the ability for unions and/or associations to negotiate benefits based on need?
- Could this impact the overall benefit selection process and the need to collaborate on selection outcomes?
Are employers prepared to manage the additional administrative tasks associated with these types of plans?
- How will employers manage the possible increase in the number of employees out on leave?
- Will employers have the ability to provide an adequate workforce to account for employees who are on leave?
- How will the new plan integrate with sick leave, sick leave banks, sick leave donations, etc.?
How will this impact retention or recruitment?
- How will employers preserve the value of employer-provided benefit plans as a differentiator?
- Will it be necessary to offer supplemental benefits to fill potential holes in PFML coverage (waiting periods, long-term disability, etc.)?