The Northland Small Business Development Center (NSBDC) is offering online and in-person training for employers on how best to navigate the Paid Leave requirements that took effect this year. If you want to make sure you’re already doing everything correctly, or if you’re just starting the program at work, the NSBDC wants to help.
The no-cost, one-hour workshops are specifically designed for small business owners. They will cover all the basics of compliance, including who is covered and who is not. You’ll learn cost-saving strategies, along with a step-by-step checklist of what you need to do to comply with the new law. SBDC consultants will be there to answer your questions.
SBDC will hold a one-hour webinar on May 7 at 10 AM. The workshop is designed for owners of resorts & lodges, restaurants, food trucks, and concession stands, and covers the Paid Leave seasonal employment designation.
They will also have a one-hour in-person group training in Grand Marais on May 14, starting at 10 AM. The training will be held at the Cook County Higher Education Building, room 214, 300 West 3rd Street in Grand Marais, MN 55604. Pre-registration is required and is available on the website, northlandsbdc.org. For any questions, contact Jenny at Northland SBDC by phone at 218-740-7307 or by email at jenny@northlandsbdc.org.
Minnesota’s Paid Family and Medical Leave law officially took effect January 1 this year. In a major shift for the state, it is a mandatory, state-administered insurance program that covers nearly all workers in Minnesota.
The program divides leave into two main parts, each with a cap on the total time you can take in a single year. Medical leave, up to 12 weeks, is for the employee’s personal health condition, including pregnancy and recovery from childbirth. Family leave, also up to 12 weeks, is available if a family member has a serious health condition, there is need to address a safety issue, or to bond with a new child. If a person needs both types of leave in one year, the combined total is capped at 20 weeks.
For 2026, the program is funded by a 0.88% payroll tax. Employers must pay at least half of that amount, and they may deduct the remaining half from employees’ paychecks. Businesses with 30 or fewer employees pay a reduced tax rate of 0.66% in 2026 if their average employee wage falls below a certain threshold.
After 90 days of employment, leave takers are entitled to return to their same position (or an equivalent position with the same pay and benefits) upon their return from leave. If an employee taking paid leave is covered under an employer-sponsored health insurance plan, the employer must continue the employee’s health insurance coverage during the leave, though the employee remains responsible for paying their portion of the premiums.
