Senate Mulls Updated Paid Family, Medical Leave Bill That Would Offer 20 Weeks

By Caroline Cummings, CBS Minnesota

March 24, 2023

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Paid family and medical leave, a big priority for Democrats in charge at the Minnesota State Capitol, comes with a big price tag. Lawmakers are proposing a state-run program that will cost more than $1 billion annually once it's up and running.

The program would work like unemployment insurance and would be funded by a payroll tax increase on businesses. Benefits—which would be a partial wage replacement—would cover long-term needs like seeking treatment for a serious medical condition, caring for a family member who is ill or recovering from pregnancy and bonding with a newborn.

Under the plan, it would be up and running by July 1, 2025. Supporters of the legislation say the program is essential to health and economic stability.

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