Subscribe
SubscribeMinnesota Paid Family and Medical Leave—Employers’ Next Steps
10.28.2025 Written by: Business Law Department
January 1, 2026, is approaching quickly, and employer obligations under Minnesota Paid Family and Medical Leave continue to ramp up. This new law requires employers to provide employees with access to up to 12 weeks of family leave and 12 weeks of medical leave per 52-week benefit year for qualifying events. However, employees can only utilize a capped 20 weeks if claiming under both family and medical leave.
Critical December Deadline
By December 1, 2025, employers must inform employees of their rights and benefits under Paid Leave through two required actions:
- Display the official Paid Leave poster in a conspicuous location in the workplace.
- Provide each employee with written notice of their new benefits.
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has prepared and made available both the required poster and a sample written notice to help employers comply.
Key Compliance Dates and Requirements
December 1, 2025 – Employee Notice Deadline
- Inform all employees of their rights and benefits via the workplace poster and individual written notices.
- Provide notices in English and in any other language that is the primary language of five (5) or more employees.
- IMPORTANT: Employees hired after December 1, 2025, must receive individual notice within 30 days of their start date.
- PENALTY WARNING: Failure to provide required notices may result in penalties of $50 per employee for a first violation and $300 per employee for subsequent violations.
January 1, 2026 – Paid Leave Program Launches
- Benefits become available to eligible employees.
- Employers may begin deducting the employee’s share of premiums from paychecks.
April 30, 2026 – First Premium Payment Due
- Employers must remit the first quarterly premium payment.
- This payment covers wages paid from January 1, 2026, through March 31, 2026.
We encourage you to reach out with any questions regarding Minnesota Paid Leave compliance. Our team is ready to help make this transition as seamless as possible for your organization.
