St. Paul, MN - Yesterday, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed House File 2, co-authored by Rep. Brad Tabke (DFL – Shakopee), to establish a Paid Family and Medical Leave program. The bill passed on a vote of 68-64.
“No one should be forced to choose between caring for themselves and their family or earning a paycheck ,” said Rep. Tabke. “Our current, uneven system is too costly for Minnesotans and our economy, which is why our bill finally establishes this safety net Minnesota’s workers and their families deserve.”
Less than 20% of workers in the United States 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, 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 injury. Most workers, however, cannot afford to take unpaid leave.
House File 2 would provide up to 12 weeks of partial wage replacement for medical leave - including pregnancy - so Minnesotans can take care of themselves, and up to 12 weeks of partial wage replacement for family leave, so Minnesotans can take care of their families. The paid family leave program would be administered by the Dept. of Employment and Economic Development, in conjunction with its Unemployment Insurance program.
More information on the bill can be found here. Video of today’s floor debate can be found on the House Public Information YouTube channel.
###