On the first day of 2026, Minnesota will introduce a new benefit for most workers in the state.  

It’s a paid family and medical leave program that guarantees access to time off to bond with a new child, recuperate from a major medical issue or care for an ill family member. The program replaces a portion of someone’s wage for a leave that can span weeks.

Minnesota is the 13th state to go down this path, but its program is among the nation’s most ambitious. 

MPR News host and politics editor Brian Bakst talks with his guests about eligibility criteria, how people can tap into the program and what they and their employers need to keep in mind.

Guests:

• Dana Ferguson is a political reporter for MPR News.
• Greg Norfleet is the Paid Leave director for the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, also known as DEED.
• Justin Terch is a consultant with Terch and Associates, a human resources consulting firm. He is also president of the Minnesota State Council of the Society of Human Resource Management and he serves on the board of Essentia Health, a Duluth-based health care system that operates mainly in rural areas in the upper Midwest. 

For more information about Minnesota’s Paid Leave program, visit: paidleave.mn.gov or call 844-556-0444 or 651-556-7777. The phone lines are staffed from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, except holidays.