Minnesota PFML FAQs: Your top questions answered
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The private plan application window for Minnesota’s Paid Family and Medical Leave program (MN PFML) program will tentatively open in July 2025. Is your organization ready? In a recent webinar, Guardian’s Sue Murphy, Product Lead for Paid Leave Products, and Corey O Connor, Heartland Region Market Leader, covered key details on Minnesota’s private plan application process and timeline, as well as Guardian’s implementation, billing, claims handling, and more.
Who is considered a Minnesota employee for MN PFML?
The following employees are covered for MN PFML:
Employees who worked 50% or more of the prior year in Minnesota, or
If employee did not work 50% or more of the year in any one state, but some employment is performed in Minnesota and the employee lives in Minnesota
Who is eligible?
All employers with at least one Minnesota employee must provide coverage to employees working in Minnesota. Covered employers include the state, state agencies, state colleges and universities, and any municipality or local government entity. Federal government organizations are not covered. Independent contractors and self-employed individuals are not covered but can opt in. Full-time and part-time employees are covered. Former employees are covered until the employee is hired by a new employer or for 26 weeks, whichever occurs first. Certain seasonal hospitality workers are not covered.
Who is a covered family member?
Spouse or domestic partner
Biological child, adopted child, foster child, step child, domestic partner's child, or a child to whom the employee stands in loco parentis, is a legal guardian, or is a de facto parent
Biological parent, adoptive parent, de facto parent, foster parent, stepparent, legal guardian of employee or the employee's spouse, or an individual who stood in loco parentis to employee when employee was a child
Sibling
Grandchild
Grandparent or spouse’s grandparent
Son-in-law or daughter-in-law
An individual who has a personal relationship with the employee that creates an expectation and reliance that the employee cares for the individual without compensation, whether or not the employee and the individual reside together
What are the qualifying leave reasons?
Medical leave
Family leave, including bonding leave, family care, qualifying exigency, and safety leave
What’s the leave duration? What’s a benefit year?
Maximum leave in a benefit year:
Medical leave: up to 12 weeks
Family leave: up to 12 weeks
Combined: up to 20 weeks
Benefit year under the state plan:
52 calendar weeks rolling forward from effective date of leave
For an effective date of leave that is Jan 1, Apr 1, Jul 1, or Oct 1, the benefit year will be a period of 53 calendar weeks
Benefit year under a private plan means one of the following:
A calendar year
Any fixed 12-month period, such as a fiscal year
12-month period rolling forward from employee’s first date of leave
12-month period rolling backward from employee’s first date of leave
Do employers still need short term disability (STD)?
Employers should look at their specific situations. Here are some reasons why employers continue to maintain their company-sponsored STD policies:
STD may take care of gaps in coverage
STD benefits can typically provide coverage for up to 26 weeks per disabling event
Employees can access their benefits for multiple disabling events per year
Example: Long-term Disability begins after 6 months, but MN PFML only pays 12 weeks — leaving employees with a gap without income replacement for almost 3 months
STD may also provide greater wage replacement
Can an employee take bonding leave in 2026 for a child born on June 1, 2025?
Yes. Bonding leave may be taken within 12 months of the birth, adoption, or foster placement. In this instance, the employee would be eligible to take 12 weeks of bonding leave between January 1, 2026 and June 1, 2026. There may be instances where an employee will not be eligible for 12 weeks of bonding leave. For example, for a child born March 1, 2025, leave would be available between January 1, 2026 and March 1, 2026. The maximum amount of bonding leave available would equal eight weeks.
Additional Q&As
Q: How are “wages” defined for MN PFML?
A: The wage definition for MN PFML is the same as the definition used for unemployment insurance. Wages include all compensation for employment, including commission, bonuses, benefits payments, tips and gratuities, and most goods and services provided as compensation.
Q: Which leaves are based on a 7-day qualifying event?
A: For all leaves other than bonding leave, benefits are based on one qualifying event of at least 7 calendar days. This is not an unpaid waiting period.
Q: Is intermittent leave permitted?
A: Yes, this is permitted for all leave reasons. Intermittent leave must be taken in increments consistent with the established policy of the employer to account for use of other forms of leave, so long as such employer's policy permits a minimum increment of at most one calendar day of intermittent leave.
Q: Is MN PFML job protected leave?
A: Yes, if the employee has worked at least 90 calendar days for the employer.
Q: Do health insurance benefits continue while the employee is on leave?
A: Yes, the employer must maintain coverage. The employee must continue to pay any employee share of the cost of such benefits.
Q: Can an employer require MN PFML run concurrent with FMLA and the Minnesota Pregnancy and Parenting Leave Act?
A: An employer may require leave taken under MN PFML to run concurrently with leave taken for the same purpose under FMLA and the Minnesota Pregnancy and Parenting Leave Act.
How will Guardian’s MN PFML private plan solution help employers and employees?
Guardian is providing a fully insured MN PFML policy that meets all statutory requirements. Our solution provides:
Administrative ease for both the employee and employer
The “one stop shop” experience:
Employees initiate one claim, and we’ll evaluate if they qualify for STD, MN PFML, and FMLA as appropriate.
Guardian partners with the employer on administration. Like other coverages, employers pay Guardian vs paying premium to the state for this coverage.
Compliance expertise: Leverage Guardian’s experience
Pricing stability: 2-year rate guarantees are available for MN PFML allowing employers to predict the cost
What are the next steps for employers?
Submit quarterly wage reports
When? The last day of the month following the end of each quarter. Beginning with Q3 2024, MN requires quarterly wage detail reports.
Who? Applies to MN employers with some or all of their employees NOT covered by unemployment insurance.
Consider whether you wish to provide coverage through the state plan or through a private plan.
Private plan application portal tentatively available July 2025.
By December 2025: Employers must inform employees about their rights and benefits under the program.
January 1, 2026:
Benefit payments will begin for both the state and private plan programs.
Employee payroll deductions begin: Employers are responsible for premium (includes both employee and employer portions) to either the state or private plan.
Learn more
To explore the MN PFML discussion in greater depth — including details on wage replacement and benefit calculations, what a maternity and bonding scenario may look like, and how the state plan compares to a private plan — check out the full webinar here