MN House Narrowly Passes Paid Family Leave Bill

ST. PAUL, MN — The Minnesota House on Tuesday narrowly passed the Democratic-backed paid family leave bill by a vote of 68-64. Two Democrats joined Republicans in voting "no," but there were still enough "yes" votes for passage.

"All Minnesota workers deserve time to take care of themselves, bond with a newborn, or care for an ailing family member," Rep. Liz Olson, the bill's author, said in a statement. "Unfortunately, the patchwork of leave policies across workplaces leaves too many workers behind."

Olson noted that the United States is the only "high-wealth" country in the world that doesn’t require employers to offer paid family leave. Her bill guarantees up to 12 weeks of paid leave benefits to working mothers and fathers after the birth of their child.

People who need to care for a family member with a serious health condition would also qualify. The legislation limits the amount of leave through to program to 24 weeks per year.

Workers taking leave would be paid up to 90 percent of their wages during that time.

The money would come from the "family and medical benefit insurance account," a state pool funded by employers and employees, similar to how unemployment insurance works.

An applicant's weekly benefit is calculated by adding the amounts below:

(1) 90 percent of wages that do not exceed 50 percent of the state's average weekly wage; plus

(2) 66 percent of wages that exceed 50 percent of the state's average weekly wage but not 100 percent; plus

(3) 55 percent of wages that exceed 100 percent of the state's average weekly wage.

The state's average weekly wage is calculated on or before June 30 each year by the head of the Department of Employment and Economic Development.

The benefits would be paid weekly.

For years, Democrats have pushed for guaranteed paid leave. But the measures were blocked by Republican lawmakers, who proposed a very different approach to leave last session.

The bill now heads to the Minnesota Senate, where it faces good odds of passage.