ST. PAUL, Minn. – Today Senate DFL Members joined the coalition on Minnesotans for Paid Family & Medical Leave in a press conference announcing the 2023 version of a Paid Family and Medical Leave program. The proposed legislation would ensure all workers in the state have access to up to 12 weeks of leave for family care, pregnancy, serious health condition, and other purposes.
“This Paid Family and Medical Leave program would provide myriad benefits for the people of Minnesota,” said Senator Alice Mann (DFL-Edina), chief author of the Senate bill. “It supports the mental health of parents, physical health of a mother and child, and helps families find economic stability. It’s also been shown that businesses in states with Paid Family and Medical programs benefit from the program with lower rates of employee turnover and increased productivity. It’s time for us to make it happen in Minnesota.”
Currently, 11 states and Washington D.C. have passed and implemented paid family leave programs in law. The United States is one of few countries worldwide and the only industrialized country that does not guarantee paid family leave.
Senate DFL lawmakers have listed the paid family and medical leave proposal (SF 2) as a top legislative priority for the upcoming legislative session. The legislation was referred to the Jobs and Economic Development Committee.
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