Paid Leave Update: Minnesota Issues Notices, Other Deadlines on the Horizon

Martin is a Shareholder and David is an Associate at Peters & Kappenman, P.A., a firm representing employers in a full range of employment law issues and litigation in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The Minnesota Paid Leave Law is set to take effect on January 1, 2026. This law creates a state-administered mandatory paid family and medical insurance program and will be administered by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). Under the Paid Leave Law, employees are eligible to receive up to twelve (12) weeks of paid leave for their own serious health condition; and, up to an additional twelve (12) weeks of paid leave for bonding leave, safety leave, family care, and other qualifying exigencies. Leave is capped at twenty (20) weeks in a single benefit year. Employers can also choose to provide employees with an equivalent plan that meets or exceeds the coverage offered by the State.

Paid Leave Sample Notices Issued Ahead of December 1 Notice Deadline

Minnesota has released its official sample notices for employers regarding the new Paid Leave law. For most employers, this notice must be provided to employees not more than 30 days from the beginning date of the employee's employment, or 30 days before premium collection begins (December 1, 2025), whichever is later. There are three versions of the notice: one for employers participating in the state-run Paid Leave plan, one for those using an approved private plan, and one specifically for seasonal and hospitality businesses with employees that have been designated as seasonal hospitality employees. If an employer intends to designate any employees as seasonal employees, the employer must issue to each seasonal employee a notice that the employee is not eligible to receive paid family and medical leave benefits at the time an employment offer is made, or within 30 days of November 1, 2025.

We encourage employers who are using a state-run plan to put this sample notice in their employee handbooks as an addendum. Those using an approved private plan should contact their plan provider for a notice they can distribute to employees by the December 1 deadline. Every employer should update the main content of their handbook to further address the Paid Leave Law.

Employer Poster

The state recently released the Paid Leave workplace poster in English. The Paid Leave website indicates that this poster will be available in other languages soon. Employers should also make sure the poster is displayed in a common area alongside their other required employment posters prior to December 1, 2025.

Other Important Paid Leave Dates

Employers who have not yet decided whether to participate in the state-run plan should begin requesting quotes from private insurers as soon as possible. Private plan applications may be submitted at any time and will be reviewed and approved on a rolling basis. However, the State’s FAQs have suggested that if you want your plan to be in place when the program launches on January 1, 2026, your request should be submitted by November 10, 2025.

Moreover, employers may begin deducting the employee share of the premium starting January 1, 2026, when benefits become available. The first premium payments are due to DEED by April 30, 2026. These payments will be based on wages paid between January 1 and March 31, 2026.

If you have questions regarding the above or any other employment-related concerns, please contact Martin Kappenman at 952.921.4603 or mkappenman@pklaborlaw.com or David Goldman at 952.921.4606 or dgoldman@pklaborlaw.com, or any other attorney at Peters & Kappenman, P.A.