Final Rules Adopted for Minnesota Paid Leave

June 30, 2025

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development has published rules regulating the Minnesota Paid Leave program ahead of its Jan. 1, 2026, effective date.

When Minnesota Paid Leave was passed into law in 2023, the Legislature granted rulemaking authority to the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) to regulate areas of the program not defined in statute. On June 16, DEED published its final adopted administrative rules that will govern Minnesota Paid Leave when the program goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2026.

Topics addressed in the final rules include:  

  • Seasonal employees.
  • Election of coverage for employees and individuals not required to participate in the program.
  • Covered Individuals’ notification to employers.
  • Reporting fraud.
  • Suspending payments and overpayments.
  • Paid Leave schedules and modifications.
  • Intermittent leave.
  • Private plans.
  • Small employer grants.
  • Safety leave.

View the adopted permanent rules regulating Minnesota Paid Leave (pdf).

What’s next?

With the final rules now in place, the next implementation milestone is the requirement that employers notify employees about paid leave benefits by December 2025. Individuals and families can begin taking paid leave on Jan. 1, 2026, when payroll deductions begin. The first quarterly premiums will be due from employers in April 2026.

LMC resources on Minnesota Paid Leave

Read more news articles.