Minnesota Sen. Rob Kupec shares updates on paid family and medical leave bill

(St. Paul, MN) -- The Minnesota State Senate passed the paid family and medical leave program, but made some changes to its structure.

The biggest alteration is to consecutive times off. The bill previously allowed for up to 24 weeks total in the rare circumstance that the time was taken back to back. Now the maximum amount of time that a person could take is 20 weeks consecutively, 12 weeks for the first period and up to 8 weeks for the second. Other changes include provisions that allocate more money for businesses that have less than 30 employees and for other small companies, and exempting many seasonal employees from being able to use the program. 

"These things are happening right now, "said Sen. Rob Kupec, "People are going out on maternity leave, people are having accidents and being injured and not being able to go to work, people's elderly parents who need help every now and then. These things are already happening, and the fact that you can put somebody's mind at ease that 'I will get some kind of pay while I'm out taking care of this' makes it easier to do all of those things and get better faster."

The bill needs to head back to the State House to consider the new alterations. Prior to its reintroduction, a committee of three senators and three house members will meet to iron out details and negotiations within the bill. Sen. Kupec will be on that committee.