SAINT PAUL – Tonight, the Minnesota House is expected to approve the Paid Family & Medical Leave Act which will provide Minnesotans with up to 12 weeks of leave to recover from illness, bond with a new baby, or care for a loved one. Rep. Tina Liebling (DFL – Rochester) supports the legislation.
“New parents, people with aging parents, or those who are experiencing long-term illness deserve the time to bond with and care for their loved ones, or take the time to get well themselves,” Rep. Liebling said. “Too many Minnesota workers lack this basic benefit, and as a result, experience poorer health outcomes. Paid family and medical leave is an issue of human dignity as much as it is about family economic security, and I’m proud to support it.”
Under the bill authored by Rep. Laurie Halverson (DFL – Eagan), workers with qualifying family events and medical conditions could apply for leave to take care of a family member or get medical attention for themselves. They would receive a percentage of their regular wages while on leave.
Funding for paid family and medical leave would be shared between employers and employees. The program is modeled on Unemployment Insurance and would be funded by a premium collected as a payroll deduction. Employers and employees could split the costs evenly, with each paying about .3 percent of their payroll. In the case of a worker earning the state average, the employer and the worker would each pay about $168 a year or $3.23 per week.
The bill provides flexibility for employers. Employers can opt out of the program if they provide equivalent benefits.
Nationwide, only 14 percent of workers have access to paid family and medical leave.