Flag Family News Reporter Chris Larson spoke with Evan Rowe, Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Employment and Economic Development
ST PAUL, MINN. – Less than a month from now, paid leave will be offered in Minnesota for the first time in the state’s history.
“We’ve been really hard at work since 2023, working to get this program all set up so that Minnesotans can depend on it when it fully launches on January 1, 2026,” Evan Rowe, Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Employment and Economic Development, said.
Earlier this week, the department conducted a soft launch for parents who have welcomed a child in 2025 with a few large employers to test the system.
“We’ve opened up applications for parents who had a child in 2025 and want to take parental leave in that coming year,” Rowe said.
On January 1, the program will open to all Minnesotans and will include medical leave, leave for individuals facing domestic violence, family caregiving leave, and military leave to support a family member who is deploying.
“It’s a new program for Minnesota, but we’re not breaking new ground nationally. We’re going to be the 13th state in the country to have a paid leave program,” he said. “We’re working really hard to make sure that it’s going to be a success from day one.”
Minnesota’s program helps small businesses that have traditionally not had the financial capacity to offer paid leave through a reduced premium rate.
“Small employers basically pay half the premium rate that other employers in the state pay,” Rowe said.
They’ll also be offered an assistance grant if they have a need to bring on additional staff or retrain existing staff while a staff member might be out on a leave.
“These are programs that are really specifically targeted to Minnesota’s small businesses.,” he said.
Rowe said businesses across the state are showing excitement for the program to come online.
“I think small employers all around the state want to take care of their folks,” he said. “They want to make sure that their folks are not having to choose between taking care of themselves when they’re facing a serious medical issue and a paycheck.”
Officials are expecting 10,000 applications per month, a number based on independent projections the department had commissioned.
“We’re ready for whatever volume comes in. Our systems are checked and ready to go. We’ve got a great team ready and eager to support Minnesotans,” Rowe said. “And we’re just excited to be able to deliver this critical service for Minnesotans.”
