Gov. Dayton Proposes Six Weeks of Paid Parental leave for State Employees

Governor Dayton announced a proposal Tuesday that would allow six weeks of paid parental leave for all state employees. 

Around 35,000 employees would be eligible for the new benefit.  Minnesota Management and Budget estimates 500 new parents would benefit from the proposal every year. 

The plan would save new parents nearly $6,200 in wages, allow them the time and financial flexibility to care for their children at a crucial moment in development, and ensure their children have a parent at home until they are old enough to enter daycare. 

The Governor’s proposal is based on recommendations of the state’s Parental Leave Working Group.  The group has been studying the state’s options for offering paid parental leave for the last six months. 

The proposal is one of Dayton’s first budget proposals for the upcoming 2016 Legislative Session. 

“For far too long, we have forced tens of thousands of hard-working parents to make an impossible choice: to spend time with their newborn or recently-adopted child, or earn the money they need to care for their families,” said Governor Dayton. “Six weeks of paid parental leave should be guaranteed for all hard-working Minnesotans; not just the wealthy few. It is time for the state to lead by example. I look forward to working with the Legislature this session to implement this family-focused reform.”