PFML status
Active PFML program
Minnesota Paid Family and Medical Leave
2026Active PFML programMinnesota Paid Leave
$1,423/week · 12 family weeks · 0.44% employee premium· Paid sick leave mandate.
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026
Minnesota paid leave snapshot
New 2026 Minnesota PFML program with high replacement rates and a $1,423 weekly cap. Weekly-max rank #4 (#1 = highest among all jurisdictions); family-weeks rank #3.
Max weekly
$1,423
Min $0
Family weeks
12
Combined cap 20
Employee premium
0.44%
Shared employee / employer
Paid sick leave
Paid sick leave
Statewide earned sick and safe time.
Compare Minnesota with another state
Compare any two states
PFML weekly max, weeks, premiums, and paid sick leave mandates.
Minnesota PFML program details
- Program
- Minnesota Paid Family and Medical Leave
- Wage replacement
- 9%
- Medical weeks
- 12
- Combined weeks max
- 20
- Premium payer
- Shared employee / employer
- Benefits timing
- Taxation and benefits begin 1/1/2026.
- Wage base / premium note
- Typically capped at the Social Security taxable wage base for the year. Small-employer premium schedule may use a reduced total rate.
Combined family + medical use can reach about 20 weeks in a benefit year.
Example employee PFML premium
On $80,000 annual wages, a 0.44% employee rate models about $352 per year before wage-base caps and employer-size exemptions. Typically capped at the Social Security taxable wage base for the year. Small-employer premium schedule may use a reduced total rate.
Key takeaways — Minnesota paid leave
- Minnesota PFML status: Active PFML program (Minnesota Paid Family and Medical Leave).
- Modeled weekly maximum $1,423 with about 12 family/bonding weeks and up to 12 medical weeks.
- Employee premium ~0.44% (~$352/year on $80,000 before wage-base caps).
- Paid sick leave mandate. Statewide earned sick and safe time.
- Ranks #4 on weekly max and #3 on family weeks among 51 jurisdictions (#1 = highest).
- Taxation and benefits begin 1/1/2026.
- 3 other active PFML programs list a higher weekly maximum than Minnesota in this table.
Minnesota vs neighboring states
PFML status, weekly maxima, family weeks, and sick-leave mandates for states that share a border with Minnesota.
| State | PFML | Max weekly | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | Active PFML program | $1,423 | This page |
 Iowa | No statewide PFML | — | vs MN |
 North Dakota | No statewide PFML | — | vs MN |
 South Dakota | No statewide PFML | — | vs MN |
 Wisconsin | No statewide PFML | — | vs MN |
Minnesota PFML at the weekly maximum
Illustrative totals if every week paid the modeled maximum. Most claimants receive less; waiting periods and offsets can reduce cash paid.
4 weeks at weekly max
$5,692
$1,423 × 4 wks
8 weeks at weekly max
$11,384
$1,423 × 8 wks
12 weeks at weekly max
$17,076
$1,423 × 12 wks
How to read this page
Minnesota paid leave overview (2026)
New 2026 Minnesota PFML program with high replacement rates and a $1,423 weekly cap.
Workers meeting Minnesota program rules can claim partial wage replacement up to about $1,423 per week for qualifying family leave (roughly 9% replacement before caps). Combined family + medical use can reach about 20 weeks in a benefit year.
Paid sick leave is tracked separately: Statewide earned sick and safe time.
Premiums and benefits in Minnesota
Modeled payroll shares: employee 0.44%, employer 0.44%. Typically capped at the Social Security taxable wage base for the year. Small-employer premium schedule may use a reduced total rate.
At the weekly maximum for 12 weeks, a full family-leave claim could approach $17,076 before taxes and offsets—only if you qualify for the maximum for every week.
Job protection is not guaranteed by a cash benefit alone. Confirm whether FMLA, a state family-leave statute, or PFML restoration rules apply to your employer size and tenure.
Planning leave while working in Minnesota
Map the reason for leave (bonding, family care, own serious health condition, safe leave) to the right program—PFML, disability, sick leave, or unpaid FMLA.
Ask payroll whether PFML premiums already appear on your pay stub and whether the employer uses a private plan.
If you live near a border, compare Minnesota with Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota—PFML and sick-leave rules can change by work location.
Who this Minnesota paid leave page helps
Useful if…
- •Employees in Minnesota estimating bonding or caregiving wage replacement.
- •Managers budgeting backfill while someone is on PFML or sick leave.
- •Candidates weighing a Minnesota offer against a neighboring state’s leave laws.
- •Workers checking whether a sick-leave mandate applies even without PFML.
Use official tools if…
- •You need an approved claim, private-plan exemption, or exact waiting period.
- •Your hours or employer size fall below statutory thresholds.
- •A city ordinance (not just statewide rules) governs your worksite.
- •You are self-employed and need opt-in PFML rules rather than employee coverage.
Minnesota paid leave checklist
Quick steps before treating rankings as a claim or relocation decision.
- 1Confirm Minnesota PFML status (Active PFML program) and benefit start timing.
- 2Estimate weekly pay using ~9% replacement capped at $1,423.
- 3Review sick/any-reason leave accrual: Paid sick leave mandate.
- 4Check pay stubs for PFML/SDI-style deductions and annual wage-base caps.
- 5Document FMLA eligibility separately if you need job protection.
- 6Compare Minnesota with a peer state before relocating for leave benefits alone.
Related states for paid leave
ColoradoActive PFML program · $1,381/wk · 12 wks
Compare Minnesota vs Colorado →
MassachusettsActive PFML program · $1,230/wk · 12 wks
Compare Minnesota vs Massachusetts →
New YorkActive PFML program · $1,229/wk · 12 wks
Compare Minnesota vs New York →
OregonActive PFML program · $1,636/wk · 12 wks
Compare Minnesota vs Oregon →Minnesota paid leave FAQs
Active PFML program. Program: Minnesota Paid Family and Medical Leave. Taxation and benefits begin 1/1/2026.
This guide models $1,423/week (minimum $0 where published) at roughly 9% wage replacement before caps.
About 12 family/bonding weeks in a benefit year, with up to 12 medical weeks where the program covers own serious health conditions (combined caps near 20 weeks).
About 0.44% of covered wages ($352/year on a $80,000 example before wage-base caps). Typically capped at the Social Security taxable wage base for the year. Small-employer premium schedule may use a reduced total rate.
Paid sick leave mandate. Statewide earned sick and safe time.
No. FMLA is unpaid. Minnesota PFML benefits may replace a portion of wages during qualifying leave when you meet program rules.
Weekly-max rank #4 and family-weeks rank #3 in this 51-jurisdiction table (#1 = highest weeks/benefit). Employee-premium rank #6 (#1 = lower employee rate among programs).
Use the state labor/PFML agency for claims, premiums, and notices. This page is an educational comparison using 2026 chart values updated 2026-07-31.
At the modeled weekly maximum, 12 weeks would total about $17,076 before taxes and offsets. Most claimants earn less than the maximum.
Usually only for short absences tied to illness, appointments, or safe leave—not full bonding leave. Statewide earned sick and safe time. Use PFML (where active) or unpaid FMLA for multi-week bonding.
Nearby combined snapshots: Iowa (No statewide PFML); North Dakota (No statewide PFML); South Dakota (No statewide PFML); Wisconsin (No statewide PFML). Open a compare page for side-by-side premiums and weeks.
Often yes under FMLA or state restoration rules if you remain eligible, but you may still owe your share of premiums. PFML cash benefits do not automatically equal benefit continuation—confirm with HR.
Not legal advice. Agency rules control claims, premiums, and job protection.