Critical Dates for Employers Under Minnesota’s Paid Family and Medical Leave: Things to Do & When to Do Them
In my previous article, we discussed employer obligations under the upcoming Minnesota’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (Paid Leave) program launching in January 2026: Overview of Minnesota’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Act: Understanding Employer Obligations. As a follow-up, I wanted to ensure that employers have a shortlist of several critical dates and important tasks to facilitate seamless preparation for Minnesota Paid Leave. Here’s your essential timeline:
- The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) marks November 15, 2025, as the deadline to submit equivalent private plan applications for state approval, to have them implemented by January 1, 2026. The November 15th date is an extension of the previous November 10 deadline. If employers are considering offering your own plan instead of participating in the state program, act immediately.
- Before December, finalize your premium cost-sharing decision. Determine what percentage of the 0.88% premium your business will cover. Remember, employers can collect up to 0.44% of the premium for employees through payroll deductions. It is important to work with the company’s payroll provider so withholdings are set to go into effect on day 1. Simultaneously, review and update your employee handbook to reflect new leave policies, eligibility requirements, notice procedures, and how Paid Leave interacts with existing benefits, e.g., MN Earned Sick and Safe Leave, PTO, and FMLA.
- December 1, 2025, is your deadline to provide individual written notice to all employees about their Paid Leave costs and benefits. Employers should get individual acknowledgments from each employee. MN DEED has released a sample notice letter for compliant employer use on the employer toolkit site: https://info.paidleave.mn.gov/. As of the date this summary was published DEED had not yet posted the notice in any other language. However, those versions should be available shortly.
- January 1, 2026, marks the official launch date when employees can begin taking paid family and medical leave through the state program. January 1, 2026, is also the date when employers should begin withholding any premium contributions from employee pay.
- April 30, 2026, is the deadline for employers to submit their first quarterly premium payment to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, covering the first quarter of 2026.
Next Steps
Missing these deadlines can disrupt your operations and create compliance issues. Use this timeline to coordinate with your HR team, payroll provider, and legal counsel, ensuring your business is fully prepared for each milestone.
If you have any questions related to compliance with Minnesota’s Paid Leave, please contact Mary Ellen Reihsen at mreihsen@hjlawfirm.com or 952-460-9275.
