Effective January 1, 2026, Minnesota’s new paid leave law will take effect, administered by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development’s Paid Leave Division. The program mandates paid time off for eligible employees, for qualified medical and family leave. In this article, we briefly explore Eligibility and Funding of the program, the Benefit Structure, and Employer Responsibilities. Please note that the first deadline for employers for initial wage reporting is due on October 31, 2024.
Eligibility and Funding
Employees qualify for paid leave after earning over $3,500 annually in wages within Minnesota. A premium rate will be calculated annually for the following calendar year, but will be capped and will not exceed 1.2% of taxable wages paid to each employee. The premium rate for the program’s first year, 2026, has not been set yet. This is a change to the Paid Leave law, coming out of the 2024 legislative session. Premium collection through payroll deduction begins on January 1, 2026, with employers having the option to split the premium with employees. Employers may charge a maximum of half the premium to their employees through a wage deduction.
Benefit Structure
The program offers up to 12 weeks of leave for a single qualifying event and up to 20 weeks for multiple qualifying events within a year. Qualifying events include medical leave for pregnancy or recovery, family bonding, caregiving, support for family members in the military or for someone facing personal safety issues. The benefits of the program fall into two categories: Medical Leave and Other Types of Leave. Employees are eligible for up to 12 weeks in each category per benefit year, with a total maximum of 20 weeks.
Employer Responsibilities
Covered organizations under the MN Unemployment Insurance (UI) Program will automatically have their accounts converted into joint UI/Paid Leave accounts. Those not covered by UI will need to register for a Paid Leave account through the UI online system as soon as possible, because the first wage reports are due on October 31, 2024. First quarterly premiums collected for paid leave will be due April 30, 2026. It is the responsibility of the employer to notify their employees about the new program by late 2025.
For additional information and answers to FAQ’s, please visit: https://paidleave.mn.gov/.