SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Today, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed HF 2, to establish a Paid Family and Medical Leave program similar to Minnesota’s unemployment insurance program.
Rep. Laurie Pryor (DFL-Minnetonka), voted for the legislation:
“Too often, workers are forced to make the terrible choice between going to work or staying home to care for themselves or an ill family member,” said Rep. Pryor. “Paid Family & Medical Leave will allow families to focus on their health and spend time nurturing an ailing child, parent or spouse. Life is complicated and we never know what lies ahead. Paid Family & Medical Leave gives working Minnesotans some breathing room to rightly prioritize themselves or a family member should a health crisis occur.”
Less than 20% of United States workers have access to paid family and medical leave through their employers. The rest, predominantly lower-wage workers, face some impossible decisions. Under the federal Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA), workers in the U.S. can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave following the birth of a child or if the worker or a family member has a serious illness or suffers an injury. Most workers, however, cannot afford to take unpaid leave and the FMLA offers little relief.
The United States is the only high wealth country in the world not allowing workers to take paid family leave. Further, a compelling majority of Americans support paid family leave. In one recent, national poll, 84% expressed support for a national paid family leave program. The paid family leave program would be administered by the Dept. of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) in conjunction with its Unemployment Insurance (UI) program.
Video of the floor discussion and vote will be available on House Public Information Services’ YouTube channel.
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