[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6663502,"mediaKeyId","2390051-564a5bb68969d3414f626ded3b2ea4e8","parentId",2390051,"title","Minnesota officials say paid family and medical leave ready to launch Jan. 1, 2026; questions remain on implementation and costs","audioSeconds",2812,"startMs",231940,"endMs",3044480,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2390051-564a5bb68969d3414f626ded3b2ea4e8&start=231&end=3044","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2390051-564a5bb68969d3414f626ded3b2ea4e8/thumbnail_231940.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6663502/Minnesota/Minnesota-officials-say-paid-family-and-medical-leave-ready-to-launch-Jan-1-2026-questions-remain-on-implementation-and-costs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6663502-28dde8be7a6c303258c794322019c4c1/orig.mp4?Expires=1773580484&Signature=ciUVfM504TBE3OHisSGVqQ2C5mH8v3Lsww~PgN9tWtu5sh4kvlvLQEcrw-nAvCYeqVQTStaXAf9hxRwMT~G9-n3Ym2C4mQxRzv901elexHeFSCeT20LVFewdBTJ1iuW7KV9cucJD73WYxw9GPZfacJ5qFDiGczRgk7JRP61w3aGgO8A8K4O~IiY8TDYUXz8Gj3iut72XtJWVP12kJcxd1Qn1eCXWWPLuUTJzNhpdQPYE-NT29gTyp2w59yRZV3gI8vZmebdIXbkCXDLmSlsv3aVQRdiPVs5LH82jyrrsX87DjNGRfiAmyFqikKIv4roI2ExKQN~dMWDAJxO1Y8Cisw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Minnesota Legislature","date","2025-02-25T19:53:53.693Z","article","The House Workforce, Labor and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee heard detailed implementation questions Feb. 24 as department officials briefed members on Minnesota's paid family and medical leave program and its operational readiness for a Jan. 1, 2026 start.

Why it matters: The program will create a statewide payroll-based premium and a public claims system intended to provide wage replacement for bonding, medical and safety leaves. Committee members pressed the Department of Employment and Economic Development on how much employers and workers will pay, how the department will handle early claim volume, and how the program will treat special cases such as college work-study students and hourly programs that route earnings to non-profits.

DEED officials said the department confirmed a preliminary premium rate of 0.88% for 2026 and that small employers (30 or fewer employees) are eligible for a reduced rate. \"The department did confirm on Friday that the premium rate for . . . in 2026 will be point 88%,\" an assistant commissioner told the committee. DEED said the rate can be split 50/50 between employers and employees, and that for small employers the employer portion effectively lowers the overall premium rate.

On likely financial impacts, Representative Peter Johnson ran the department'provided calculator numbers for an average Minnesota wage (about $67,000) and said that equates to roughly $5.67 per week for a typical worker at the preliminary premium. DEED officials said employers can use an online premium-rate calculator to estimate exact dollar impacts because final premiums will depend on submitted wage detail.

Officials also discussed operational readiness. The department said it is hiring a operations team of roughly 400 staff — call center, claims adjudication and product staff — and expects higher volume at launch. Director Norfleet told the committee the department expects a temporary bump in claims in January 2026 as new parents who had children in 2025 apply, then settle into an average of about 10,000 approvals a month.

Lawmakers raised several implementation concerns: whether students on work-study would meet eligibility, how the program will treat hourly-based payments that are routed to charities or third parties (and whether those payments qualify as wages), how multiple family members can take leave to care for the same individual, and how a broad \"family\" definition will be validated. On work-study and similar arrangements, DEED said eligibility depends on whether the payments meet the statute'defined wage thresholds and that individual circumstances may require follow-up.

Committee members repeatedly cited the state's experience with unemployment insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic as a cautionary example. Representative Wayne Johnson told officials that if the program does not have adequate staffing, \"it'll be just send out the money to whoever requests it, and there'll be no way to actually see if people should be receiving it.\" DEED responded that the agency has been recruiting and that contingency plans exist to minimize disruption.

DEED described several program flexibilities and assistance mechanisms: a reduced premium rate for small employers, small employer assistance grants to help with temporary backfill when an employee is on leave, an exemptions process for employer plans that are as generous as the state program (allowing private plans to remain primary), and a seasonal-hospitality exemption process. The department said it will publish an exemptions process this spring.

On collective bargaining, DEED reiterated that the law allows employers to charge up to 50% of the premium to employees but does not prescribe how local contracts or collective-bargaining agreements will treat premium splits; those are subject to local negotiations. DEED officials said they have conducted outreach with school-district associations and negotiators to inform districts.

What's next: Committee members indicated more questions and oversight will continue. Several lawmakers said they support the program but want to keep examining staffing, data-sharing with existing programs and details affecting small employers and school districts. The committee moved on after the briefing to other agenda items; no committee vote to delay the program was taken during this session.

Ending: DEED officials emphasized they will continue outreach and publish tools and guidance, while lawmakers signaled they will monitor early operations closely and consider legislative adjustments if necessary.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee 2/25/24","oneSentenceSummary","The House Workforce Committee was briefed Feb. 24 that Minnesota's paid family and medical leave program is on track for a Jan. 1, 2026 launch, with the department confirming a preliminary premium rate of 0.88% for 2026.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature MN, Minnesota","taxId",77817,"location","Minnesota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6663489,"Lawmakers hear requests to renew funding for Goodwill'run Father Project after Wilder Foundation study showed high ROI",5153,5159360,6301,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2390051-564a5bb68969d3414f626ded3b2ea4e8&start=5159&end=6","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2390051-564a5bb68969d3414f626ded3b2ea4e8/thumbnail_5159360.jpg","/articles/6663489/Minnesota/Lawmakers-hear-requests-to-renew-funding-for-Goodwillrun-Father-Project-after-Wilder-Foundation-study-showed-high-ROI","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6663489-d0c1aaa1dcbbb08835cae8dacd4e2e06/orig.mp4?Expires=1773580484&Signature=DcazYens~6cxTZOdgU-beCsYWScOxyq5vHMJrH8PqusxcUYDvThpiijkyLe~yGna39el6EovLrUM3xzDfmei6m1M6gHF40GXb2mFDkuXn333h0prKxUKy1dkl9IDN-nvJQOlE48jKiGvWSnHmINY15MqeAFvTCHNoywJViLIdLkfzxH8uKny5Bo0cBP264VLYQBXn9BDZQeksCiHENgodvN~EP2p~2ojmWqmjkhh3~ZVpD1gAqII~Z-9sHi5eKaIS9Qfqk~d~W~9QVobD83ENDlAxtuLe8K~CgHNEueiZp~fT7dpNhA7fI53IgnI1VmvcAKfGMj6hoC5d-PpG~6AJQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Workforce Committee on Feb. 24 received testimony in support of state funding to continue the Father Project, a Goodwill Easter Seals Minnesota initiative that pairs employment services with parenting support for fathers. Two companion bills were presented: House File 606 (Representative Reimer) and House File 1376 (Representative Wayne Johnson).

Why it matters: Advocates said the Father Project supports family stability, helps noncustodial and low-income fathers secure jobs and provides parenting education and child-support navigation. Program leaders said the project produces measurable financial returns and improves outcomes for children and families.

Representative Tina Liebling Reimer (presenting Representative Reimer's text) described the program and cited a Wilder Foundation analysis of the 2023 investment that showed a return of $3.41 in productivity for every dollar invested. Representative Wayne Johnson, sponsor of a companion bill, said the program addresses barriers to employment and family engagement that can undermine workplace performance.

Andrew Freeburg, director of Family Stability Services at Goodwill Easter Seals Minnesota and director of the Father Project, described the program's approach: voluntary engagement by fathers, combined employment coaching, job placement and parenting classes, and local partnerships in Rochester, St. Cloud and other communities. Freeburg said, with continued funding, the Father Project expects to enroll about 450 fathers in the upcoming biennium, place 250 in new or better jobs and engage more than 400 dads in parenting classes.

Program participants also testified. Bojo Rogge, a former participant and now a father engagement coordinator, described personal reentry and employment success enabled by the program, including job transitions and stabilized housing. Lawmakers discussed possible grant and appropriation vehicles and asked whether the work could be funded as competitive grants rather than direct appropriations; authors said they were open to conversations on mechanics.

Ending: Both bills were laid over for possible inclusion in a future bill. Lawmakers asked staff to review program audits and nonprofit financials and consider whether a competitive grant model or direct appropriation is the most appropriate funding vehicle.

","The House Workforce Committee heard Feb. 24 that the Father Project, a Goodwill Easter Seals Minnesota program combining job coaching and parenting supports for fathers, seeks renewed legislative funding after a Wilder Foundation analysis showed a roughly 3.4:1 return on investment for earlier funding.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6663493,"Houston schools propose state-backed virtual EMS training to shore up volunteer and rural emergency responder ranks",981,3832910,4814040,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2390051-564a5bb68969d3414f626ded3b2ea4e8&start=3832&end=4814","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2390051-564a5bb68969d3414f626ded3b2ea4e8/thumbnail_3832910.jpg","/articles/6663493/Minnesota/Houston-schools-propose-state-backed-virtual-EMS-training-to-shore-up-volunteer-and-rural-emergency-responder-ranks","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6663493-91b01326201d1b9a1f074fe30000f432/orig.mp4?Expires=1773580484&Signature=JTPOfm~gAhDu9Jt9BSDdYJVSuXdxvBtpa3pAlw00eKc0fKAvcR4WyhX97yRCjEi8YGJatdayepHuLoLdLZI7c4CPVSX7BZVnRN5R~t5T5H9yRERybfcOc-J7KI1117uLrzTQ1UiZDHw~RSxkSvwTvUPYXzWCwrDP3cp4L5-3ExUInfuWeeQBeIvVe1CuYJEDZH30oC7cAwjUaBc99sTVCMFbBOIxyz82~PjHFyqJOF91uJAagxF3ydjLdBGIMjwtBUV8GqKhFqK6R59vHA47w9MyTGPD7sYPptc0W9ByJ6vp6QLZ4sOKsUNBqdj28NyyJq0NC1~tVMTlFR2lc1ginQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lawmakers in the House Workforce Committee heard Feb. 24 a request to use state funds to expand a virtual emergency medical responder (EMR) and emergency medical technician (EMT) training pathway run by Minnesota Virtual Academy and Houston Public Schools.

Why it matters: Rural and small-town ambulance services and volunteer emergency responders have seen significant declines in staffing since the pandemic. Testifiers said adding a virtual pathway that includes local hands-on clinicals and testing could help recruit and certify students while letting districts share training resources statewide.

Representative Davids presented House File 610, seeking $300,000 for Houston Public Schools (Houston and Minnesota Virtual Academy) to expand EMS training capacity and to reimburse districts that send students to the virtual program. Superintendent Mary Moran said the district has run this pathway for several years and now can serve students across the state; the district is a licensed testing center and can send staff to support hands-on testing arrangements in other districts.

Student testimony and local educator evidence were part of the hearing. William Carlson, a senior who became certified after ride-along experiences and classwork, said his first cardiac-arrest call motivated him to pursue emergency medicine and pursue a career as an emergency room doctor. Superintendent Moran told members Houston currently has 26 students enrolled in the program this semester and expects to expand with partner districts; earlier cohorts had high pass rates on certification tests.

Committee members asked implementation questions about hands-on clinicals and ride-alongs and how non-Minnesota Virtual Academy students would enroll. Superintendent Moran said the program works by having the home district enroll the student in the virtual course catalog; state per-pupil funding follows the student and the virtual provider then returns funds to the home district for the course after completion. She described regional partnerships for hands-on clinicals and said several districts are already offering related courses; the virtual program aims to serve districts that currently lack staff or local offerings.

The bill was laid over for further consideration. Members asked for documentation of outcomes, letters of support and further details on regional capacity for hands-on training in order to assess statewide scalability and budget choices.

Ending: Lawmakers expressed support for the concept but asked staff to gather additional documentation on outcomes, testing pass rates and capacity for hands-on clinical partnerships before making appropriation decisions.

","House File 610 would appropriate $300,000 to Houston Public Schools (Minnesota Virtual Academy) to expand online emergency medical responder and EMT certification pathways statewide; proponents told the committee the program pairs virtual curriculum with regional hands-on partnerships and local testing sites.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6663498,"Committee hears testimony to keep funding Bridges to Healthcare program that funnels students into health-care careers",680,2893900,3574350,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2390051-564a5bb68969d3414f626ded3b2ea4e8&start=2893&end=3574","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2390051-564a5bb68969d3414f626ded3b2ea4e8/thumbnail_2893900.jpg","/articles/6663498/Minnesota/Committee-hears-testimony-to-keep-funding-Bridges-to-Healthcare-program-that-funnels-students-into-health-care-careers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6663498-d824fa4150c5d9c54f818d5d94214361/orig.mp4?Expires=1773580484&Signature=k08xruYF3lGb-f3kNrD78pntfzx5xg~wi9~kPoc61TpthkRjjjZfwGY-BZBSANszm6PKJPKNG~NIOrXrLHss~9SlarkTtgc1Vpn6w33YkVPx6nEgZqTvESFkgIxOJFNuFDoBuun6bfiywBMctdHsshVCGA7~isCw9TYIOR5bDzg9x7EcePhhdp7gzbLBNpPTkdlFV7yVvt31Q9C0rZzhYLxFEXok6V-f5iKBNcMPwfFKA94XtuB81AN3LSYSZCDo2wnAGe8l-L7FbFRlgYWToFeEByMzvb5Me3Tomlz6CiQX0vzqUqjg~AEqzwgLe~EQzGCp3iOUbVzZSIJ7jGOE2Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Workforce Committee heard testimony Feb. 24 in favor of continuing state support for Bridges to Healthcare, a public-private workforce partnership that trains nontraditional students for health-care careers in southeastern Minnesota.

Why it matters: The program targets students who are older, first-generation or English-language learners and provides tuition help, supportive services and pathways into certificates and degrees for roles such as certified nursing assistant, phlebotomist and home health aide. Supporters said the program helps meet a regional workforce need in Minnesota''s largest industry.

Representative Robyn Hicks told the committee the program began in the Rochester area, home to the Mayo Clinic, and expanded across several southeastern Minnesota communities. Kyle Mullins, workforce director with Workforce Development Incorporated, said Bridges to Healthcare now serves more than the program's original target of 300 students and is projected to enroll about 420 students in the biennium. Mullins said about 25% of operating funds come from private sources, and that 80% of graduates are from ethnically diverse backgrounds.

Representative Hicks offered and the committee adopted an author's amendment that clarifies funds are not to be used for space or infrastructure. After testimony from program graduates and workforce staff, the committee laid the bill over for further consideration.

Ending: The bill was carried over for future consideration; lawmakers asked staff to confirm grant/recipient language if the appropriation is moved forward in a larger package.

","Representative Robyn Hicks and Workforce Development Inc. told the House committee that the Bridges to Healthcare program, centered in southeastern Minnesota, has expanded and is requesting continued funding to train nontraditional students for health-care jobs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Minnesota officials say paid family and medical leave ready to launch Jan. 1, 2026; questions remain on implementation and costs

Lawmakers hear requests to renew funding for Goodwill'run Father Project after Wilder Foundation study showed high ROI

Houston schools propose state-backed virtual EMS training to shore up volunteer and rural emergency responder ranks

Committee hears testimony to keep funding Bridges to Healthcare program that funnels students into health-care careers