KASSON, Minn. (KTTC) – Thousands of Minnesota employees are actively applying for Paid Family and Medical leave.
A Kasson small business owner is starting 2026 with some uncertainty under the new law.
“I think the state actually needs to hit the pause button on this program,” said Mary Hartman, the owner and founder of the horse feed and supplement company StableFeed.
Hartman’s business has three full-time and three part-time employees, who she says all work very hard and deserve paid leave.
Hartman has concerns that some people may take advantage of the program, which can impact its future. She says the qualifying conditions are too broad. “There will be a lot of opportunity for fraud,” she said.
According to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), employees can take paid leave for medical care for themselves or others, childbirth, an active-duty family member, and an individual in a domestic or abusive situation.
DEED leaders say they have about 70 staff members who review applications, which can take up to 14 days to process.
The department says it is working to ensure that applicants are not abusing or misusing the system.
“There are several different layers of verification and validation which occur as part of this program,’ said DEED’s Deputy Commissioner Evan Rowe.
The cost of the premium rates is also on Hartman’s list of concerns. Under the new law, employers will split the cost of premium rates with their employees.
Employers with 30 or fewer workers will pay a reduced premium rate, about half of what an employer with a larger workforce would pay.
Hartman says she has a strong obligation to her employees and will find a way to cover premium costs, even though it may be difficult.
“I have an employee who’s getting married. When she has children, she needs to be able to stay home for a short period of time or for a couple of months to bond with that baby. Would I be able to pay her to stay home and pay another person? No, not in my financial situation,” Hartman said.
Through the paid leave program, grant opportunities up to $3,000 per leave or $6,000 per employer are available to help cover costs when an employee takes leave.
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