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Minn. committee pores over changes to paid family and medical leave bill; debates union opt‑in, weeks and wage rate
Summary
Lawmakers spent 30 minutes questioning a bill that would reduce leave for small employers to six weeks, allow union opt‑in, expand seasonal exemptions, permit third‑party administration and set a flat 67% wage‑replacement rate. Labor representatives warned the changes could exclude workers and weaken the program’s universal floor.
Committee members on March 19 questioned proposed changes to Minnesota’s paid family and medical leave program after a bill sponsor presented House File 1976 as an attempt to modify the law passed in 2024. The sponsor said the bill would provide six weeks of paid leave for businesses with 50 or fewer employees while keeping 12 weeks for larger employers, expand seasonal‑worker exemptions from 150 to 180 days, allow third‑party administration as an option, and move to a flat 67% wage replacement rate.
Representative Frank Frazier (committee member) told the committee he was concerned the draft would “exclude workers on the collective bargaining agreement, until they negotiate to be to opt in to the paid family leave program.” He said he feared that requiring a bilateral agreement to opt in could leave…
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