Minnesota paid leave launches in one month. Here’s what you need to know.

Minnesota on Jan. 1 will become the 13th state to launch its own state-run paid family and medical leave program.

Paid leave grants Minnesota workers up to 12 weeks of family leave and 12 weeks of medical leave per year, capped at 20 weeks in a single year. Employers and workers will pay into a fund through a payroll tax, and wages are determined by a wage-based formula — the maximum a person on leave can receive is $1,423 per week.

Most people will start to see a payroll tax deduction in their paychecks beginning in January. The rate for the first year is 0.88%, which will be split between employers and their employees. Most workers will pay half, or 44 cents for every $100 in taxable wages.

Minnesota is planning to open up applications for baby bonding leave prior to the Jan. 1 launch date to allow parents to get their paid leave applications in early. The Department of Employment and Economic Development said applications will open in early December.

Paid leave is a big — and sometimes confusing — state program. Here are some common questions about it.

Who qualifies?

Nearly every employer and worker.

Full-time, part-time, seasonal and temporary workers all qualify. People with multiple jobs can also take leave from one or more of their employers.

Federal employees, postal workers, and self-employed and independent contractors aren’t covered by default; all but federal workers can choose to opt into the plan.

If your employer offers a paid leave program that is the same or more generous than the state’s, then there’s a chance you won’t have access to the state’s paid leave, but in that case you won’t have to pay the tax. Ask your employer if you are covered by the paid leave program.

If someone works in more than one state, they can receive paid leave if they work at least 50% of the time in Minnesota. This includes people that work from home.

I had a child in 2025: Can I take leave in 2026?

Parents who welcomed a child into their home in 2025 will be able to claim paid leave benefits in 2026, even if they’ve already taken leave through their employer. These parents can qualify for up to 12 weeks of paid leave as long as their application is approved within one year of welcoming a child, including a new baby, adoption and foster placement.

I’m pregnant. How do I get paid leave next year?

Plan when you want to use paid leave in 2026. You can take up to 12 weeks of family leave to bond with your newborn child, adopted child or foster placement. You can also take up to 12 weeks of medical leave to recover from serious health events, including childbirth.

If you take both family and medical leave in a single year, you can take up to 20 weeks total of paid leave.

You must notify your employer at least 30 days before your leave. Talk to your employer about other leaves and payments you could take. For example, some employers will allow their workers to use their accumulated paid time off to “top off” the payments you receive from the state so you receive your normal wages while on leave.

Your employer will be notified that you have submitted an application to take paid leave.

Applications require certification from a health care provider. Work with your provider to obtain a PDF of a qualifying document that you can attach to your paid leave application.

For bonding leave, you can use a birth certificate, hospital discharge document or adoption or foster placement paperwork.

The state is working to update the application process so you don’t have to get documentation directly from your provider, but it will not be ready by initial launch.

Do I have to take my leave all at once?

No.

I need surgery and time to recover. How do I get paid leave?

You can take up to 12 weeks of medical leave to recover from an illness or injury.

You can take leave if you have a qualifying event that lasts at least seven days, but the days don’t need to be consecutive. For example, if you need to attend regular medical appointments that total seven days, you can get payments for the days you are on leave from work.

On a similar note, your leave doesn’t need to be taken all at once. For example, if you feel well enough to return to work but experience flare-ups of pain, you can take the leave only when you need it. You won’t receive wages for the entire week, just the days you were on leave.

For intermittent medical leave — like pain flare-ups — you will need to work with your health care provider and employer to get approval to take off specific days.

If the leave is unplanned, let your employer know as soon as you can and fill out your paid leave application.

Applications for medical leave must include certification from your health care provider. You will need to work with your health care provider to obtain a form that you can attach to your application.

As with leave for babies, the state is working to update the application process so applicants do not have to get documentation directly from their providers, but it will not be ready by initial launch.

Workers can also take up to 12 weeks to care for a family member with a health condition. The family member doesn’t need to be located in Minnesota, but their health care provider is required to certify that that worker is the designated caretaker. “Family member” is widely defined.

It includes immediate family — including spouses — grandchildren or grandparents, sons- or daughters-in-law and any person “who has a personal relationship with the applicant that creates an expectation and reliance for care,” according to the state.

How much will I be paid?

Minnesota’s paid leave is intended as a partial wage replacement, so you won’t get your full pay.

To receive the payments, you need to have made least $3,900 in the past year. This can be from multiple jobs. The payments are based on your average weekly wage.

For weekly wages between zero and $711.50, you will get paid 90% of these wages.

For everything you make between $711.50 and $1,423, you will get paid 66% of these weekly wages.

For everything above $1,423, you will get paid 55% of these weekly wages.

It works like marginal tax rates.

So, for instance, if you make $1,500 per week, you’ll receive:

• 90% of $711.50, or $640; 
• plus 66% of the next $711.50 or $470; 
• plus 55% of the final $77, or $42. 

Add them up, and you get about $1,152.

Your weekly payment cannot exceed $1,423. You can estimate your payment by using the state’s tool.

How much will I be taxed?

Payroll tax deductions for nearly all workers begin in January. The rate for the first year is 0.88%, which will be split between employers and their employees. Most employees will pay half, or 44 cents for every $100 in taxable wages.

Employers can choose to pay more than their required share.

A payroll tax cannot cause an employee to earn less than minimum wage, so employers may have to assume more of the payroll tax.

Minnesota’s paid leave program will have an income ceiling, above which people won’t be taxed. Minnesotans will not be taxed on income above $184,000.

The state will evaluate the solvency of the paid leave program and set a payroll tax rate each year. This means the tax could be higher than 0.88% in the future, though officials cannot raise it above 1.1%, according to state law.

You can estimate your paid leave tax with the state’s premium calculator.

How does paid leave work for small businesses?

Businesses that employ 30 or fewer people and have an average employee wage under 150% of the state average pay — $1423 — will be required to participate in the paid leave program. Like other businesses, they can be excluded if they offer a paid leave program that is the same or more generous than the state’s.

Small businesses will pay a reduced payroll tax of 0.66%. An employer must pay at least 0.22%, while an employee can only pay up to 0.44%.

Minnesota lawmakers created a Small Employer Assistance Grant program, which subsidizes small businesses that have trouble when an employee takes leave. The grants can help with the hiring of temporary workers or for training new staff while an employee is out on leave.

Grants will be up to $3,000 per leave or $6,000 per employer.

What will the state do to prevent fraud in the program?

Fraudsters in recent years have bilked hundreds of millions from Minnesota’s public programs, and state officials are working to ensure paid leave doesn’t become another, they say.

Minnesota will implement a new login system — LoginMN — that will require paid leave applicants to create an account, upload a picture of their driver’s license and take a real-time selfie. This is to help prevent artificial intelligence programs from creating accounts to apply for paid leave.

The application process requires several verification steps by the employer, worker, health provider and the state. Employers are able to review their workers’ leave application and flag inconsistencies.

All applications for leave require certification from a health care provider, and the provider must sign off on the duration of leave. For intermittent leave, the provider must sign off on the duration for each time period.

State officials will use data analytics to help catch anomalies. The state officials say they will refer cases for criminal prosecution if they suspect fraud.

Every application will be reviewed, and the paid leave program will be randomly audited.

Questions?

For questions about paid leave, visit pl.mn.gov, where there are several FAQs, or call paid leave’s contact center at 651-556-7777.

The Reformer called this number in the mid-afternoon and a representative answered in about 30 seconds, though it’s likely the contact center will be fielding more calls once the program is live.

Minnesota Reformer is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Minnesota Reformer maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor J. Patrick Coolican for questions: info@minnesotareformer.com.