Minnesota’s Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) program is coming January 1, 2026 — and it’s going to change how employers across the state support their teams.
If you’re in HR, here’s the breakdown of what’s changing, what you’ll need to do, and how to get ready.
The Basics
Here’s what Minnesota’s PFML law includes:
- 12 weeks for an employee’s own medical needs (serious health condition).
- 12 weeks for family needs (bonding, caregiving, military, or safety-related leave).
- Up to 20 weeks total per year if both types of leave are needed.
- Wage replacement: Employees get between 55–90% of their usual wages (capped at a state maximum).
- Job protection: After 90 days of employment, workers can return to their job (or an equivalent one).
- Health insurance continues while on leave.
Coverage is broad — if your employees work in Minnesota (even part-time or remote with a Minnesota home base), they’re probably covered.
What This Means for Employees
This is not just a new benefit — it’s a new compliance requirement. Here’s what HR teams need to focus on:
1. Payroll & Contributions
- Starting January 2026, employers and employees will split the cost (roughly 0.88% of wages total). Employers with fewer than 30 employees only withhold the employee share (no employer contribution is required).
- Be sure your payroll system is updated to handle deductions and reporting.
2. Notices & Employee Communication
- By December 1, 2025, you’ll need to post a state-issued notice in your workplace and share written details with employees.
- Notices must be available in the languages your employees speak.
3. Leave Policies & Coordination
- Review your current PTO, sick time, parental leave, and short-term disability policies.
- Employees cannot be required to burn through PTO before PFML — but they can choose to use it to “top up” pay.
- PFML will often run at the same time as FMLA, so policies should clearly explain how they overlap.
4. Manager & HR Training
- Managers need to know what to say when someone asks about leave.
- HR needs clear processes for handling requests, certifications, and return-to-work planning.
Key Dates to Watch
- Now–Fall 2025: Audit your leave policies, train staff, update payroll systems.
- Nov. 10, 2025: Deadline to apply for a private plan if you want to operate outside the state plan starting Jan. 1, 2026.
- Dec. 1, 2025: Post required employee notices.
- Jan. 1, 2026: Start payroll deductions + employees can begin using PFML.
- April 30, 2026: First quarterly premium payment due.
Common HR Questions
Q: Do we have to keep benefits going while someone’s out?
Yes — health insurance and other benefits continue during PFML leave.
Q: Can we supplement state benefits with our own pay?
Yes, but combined benefits can’t exceed an employee’s normal wages.
Q: Do small businesses have to participate?
Yes — the law applies to nearly all employers in Minnesota.
How Tilt Can Help
Rolling out a statewide leave program is a big lift — and PFML will add complexity to already complicated leave processes. That’s where Tilt comes in.
Tilt helps HR teams by:
- Automating leave requests, tracking, and documentation.
- Staying up-to-date on compliance, including the new Minnesota PFML regulations.
- Giving employees a self-service hub so they can see their leave status, paperwork, and pay.
- Providing payroll calculations and support, and in some cases integrating with payroll and HRIS to make contributions and reporting even easier.
- Offering reporting and analytics so you understand leave usage and costs.
Instead of scrambling with spreadsheets and state forms, you can focus on supporting your people while Tilt handles the admin.
Book a demo to see how Tilt can simplify Minnesota PFML for your team.
