State legislative leaders are back from a trip to Washington D.C. where they discussed paid family medical leave at the White House.
Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic (DFL- Minneapolis) was among the group that explained how Minnesota got the bill done, which she believes will help everyone.
"They should be able to take care of that baby, or take care of themselves, or a family member who is suffering from cancer or had a heart attack, without worrying about how do I pay my rent, how do I feed my family," Dziedzic told KTSP-TV political reporter Tom Hauser who hosted the WCCO Morning News on Monday.
The DFL-controlled House and Senate passed paid family medical leave in the most recent session. Dziedzic says the Department of Employment and Economic Development is working to get the program up and running.
"And they are talking to other states to find out what worked and what didn't work to make sure we can do this right," Dziedzic explains. "It's a benefit that a lot of larger companies in Minnesota already offer and we think it's something that will help everybody. So we believe everybody should have that ability."
More than 900,000 Minnesota workers don’t currently get paid time off to care for themselves or loved ones, according to House bill author Rep. Liz Olson (DFL- Duluth).
Republicans had said a mandate should not be added to businesses during a pandemic and that businesses already take steps to care for employees.
While most newly passed laws take effect July 1 or August 1, paid family medical leave won't take effect until January 1, 2026.