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Starting Jan. 1, Minnesota workers will have new coverage options to take paid family and medical leave that guarantees partial pay replacement and a return to their position.
The agency managing the program expects hundreds of thousands of people each year to tap into benefits that defray the cost of taking time off to recover from illness or injury or care for family members.
Before the new program takes effect, here’s a look at how it will work and some common questions about how Minnesotans can use it.
How does the paid leave program work?
It functions similarly to Minnesota’s unemployment insurance program. Employers and employees pay into the program. Workers can apply for time off when they have qualifying situations. They’ll receive partial wage replacement while they are away from work. When they return, they can expect to have their job back.
Who pays for it?
Workers and employers each pay a payroll tax that funds the paid leave. The 0.88 percent payroll tax will be evenly split between employers and employees. Lawmakers earmarked nearly $668 million in 2023 in initial funding for the account and $122 million to provide for its creation and administration. That installment was meant to get the program off the ground until the steady stream of funding from the payroll tax started to accrue.
Will I get my full pay?
No, workers who apply to get paid family and medical leave through the state program will get a portion of their typical paycheck. The amount will depend on a typical weekly salary. Those who have lower salaries or hourly pay get more through the program — up to 90 percent of their typical weekly pay. Those who make more will get a smaller percentage of their regular pay from the program.
The Department of Employment and Economic Development has a calculator to estimate the pay replacement rates. The most someone could make is about $1,423 a week, the state’s average weekly wage.
How do I get paid?
People can opt for direct deposit or prepaid debit cards. Minnesotans will be able to pick which option they prefer during the application process.
How long am I eligible to take off?
It depends on what kind of leave is sought and the interaction between the family and medical leave. In broad strokes, a worker can take 12 weeks in a calendar year for family leave, such as caring for a new baby or bonding with an adopted child. They can also take 12 weeks of medical leave for themselves or a close relative. But in one calendar year, leave tops out at 20 weeks combined.
Leave can come in one chunk or be spaced out on a more intermittent basis depending on a given situation. For example, a person could seek to take a number of days per week or month off to tend to medical appointments rather than be out entirely. But the annual cap would apply.
What kinds of situations are eligible for paid leave?
Leave eligibility breaks into two categories — medical leave and family leave.
Medical leave covers situations where a person needs to recover from an illness, injury condition, disorder or impairment. Workers would be eligible to take time off to heal, seek out treatment or evaluation or to recover. Minnesotans recovering from surgeries or pregnancy complications would be eligible for medical leave.
Under the other umbrella of family leave, workers could take time off to welcome a new child, care for a loved one with a health condition, recover from safety issues like domestic violence or sexual assault or to support a family member called to active duty in the military.
Which kinds of workers will fit into this program?
Almost all workers would be eligible for the benefits with the exception of Minnesotans who are self-employed, independent contractors and tribal nations. Though, those employees would have the option to opt into the program.
The law requires that people work at least 50 percent of the time in Minnesota to be eligible and have earned at least $3,700 in the last year. Workers who take paid leave will have protection assuring their role is there when they return from leave if they’ve been in the position for at least 90 days.
Who is considered a family member under the law?
The law allows for workers to take paid time off to care for their spouse or partner, child (and this would cover biological children, foster or adopted children, stepchildren or a child you raised), parent or person who raised you, a sibling, a grandchild or grandparent, family members in-law and anyone who counts on you like a family member would.
What if I had a baby in 2025?
Parents who welcomed a baby in 2025 would still be eligible for at least some paid family leave time under the program. Up to 12 weeks of paid family leave just needs to be completed within one year of the child’s birth or adoption. So someone who had a baby in April would need to complete paid leave prior to the child’s first birthday in April 2026.
How do I apply for leave?
The office recommends first notifying an employer of expected leave requests (though in some situations there are exemptions and options to back date applications). Then people seeking leave go through the Department of Employment and Economic Development to fill out an application, including medical documentation. An online application portal is scheduled to go live before Jan. 1.
Can I apply ahead of time?
Yes, Minnesota is going to be one of just a handful of states where applicants can submit ahead of welcoming a child or taking time off for a medical procedure. Minnesotans can access the application portal through DEED and get the details of their leave set up early. They will then have to follow up with medical paperwork confirming their reason for leave.
Can I take leave through this program if my work matches these benefits?
No, only workers whose employers don’t match the benefits available through the state program will be able to get partial pay through Minnesota’s paid family and medical leave program. Employers that keep existing leave programs that measure up to or exceed the state offerings can opt out of the state program.
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