New Democratic-led plan could mean paid leave for all Minnesota workers

(St. Paul, MN) -- A new DFL-led plan could mean all Minnesota workers would be eligible for paid family and medical leave.

House Speaker Melissa Hortman says the plan will be part of Governor Tim Walz's budget. Walz and Democratic lawmakers want to allocate some of the state's over 17-billion dollar estimated budget surplus to get the program started.

Past estimates put the startup costs at more than one-billion dollars.

The latest bill says the program will be sustained by a small premium on wages that would be funneled into a family and medical leave benefit account, with employees and employers contributing to the program.