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Rushford Village council discusses Minnesota Family Paid Leave implementation, asks clerk and mayor to review options
Summary
Council members reviewed employer obligations under Minnesota Family Paid Leave, including premium sharing, use of PTO/ESST to supplement benefits, and intermittent leave rules; clerk and mayor will examine short-term disability interaction and report back ahead of the Jan. 1, 2026 effective date.
Council members spent a portion of the Oct. 7 meeting reviewing Minnesota Family Paid Leave, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2026.
Clerk Mary Miner outlined the council’s choices: the city must pay at least 50% of premiums but may opt to pay more (with amounts above 50% reported on employees’ W-2s); the council must establish a notification process for employees applying for leave; it must set policy on whether PTO or ESST can be used to top off state-paid leave; and it must define rules for intermittent leave and the minimum usable increment of time. Miner said the 2026 premium estimate had been reduced from $32.80 to $16.40 per month (total for both full-time employees) and that the village expects a small-employer determination in November that could lower the rate.
Councilmember Travis Link asked about maximum leave available; Miner replied employees can take 12 weeks for an event and, if eligible, up to 20 weeks per year. Link also asked whether employers can require employees to use PTO before applying for Family Paid Leave; Miner said many cities plan to allow PTO to top off the state benefit. Councilmember Mike Ebner said he did not understand why elected and appointed officials are included; Mayor Dennis Overland responded that "as of right now they are still included." Miner and Overland agreed to meet to evaluate the best local approach, including whether to continue short-term disability coverage.
The discussion produced no formal vote; the clerk was directed to follow up as state guidance and small-employer determinations arrive.
