Minnesota Maternity Leave Calculator
How much leave do you actually get? See your Minnesota Paid Leave benefit, combined cap math, and job protection for 2026 — the first year benefits are payable.
Minnesota Paid Leave (PLL) launched January 1, 2026 — one of the youngest state programs in the country. It uses a three-tier replacement formula (90%, 66%, 55%) capped at $1,423/week, with no waiting period and job protection that covers virtually every worker in the state. Medical and family leave are separate 12-week caps but combine under a 20-week annual ceiling, so a typical birthing parent's bonding allowance gets shortened by 2-4 weeks depending on delivery type.
About you · step 1
so far: MN
What state do you work in?
Are you covered?
- MN Paid Leave started January 1, 2026 — benefits available now
- MN Paid Leave covers all MN employers, no minimum employer size
- Job protection is BUILT INTO MN Paid Leave — no minimum tenure or employer size needed
- FMLA available as separate federal protection at 50+ employee employers
What a typical Minnesota birthing parent gets
For an employee earning $75,000 per year, vaginal delivery, working 12+ months at a 50+ employee company:
20 weeks total · 20 paid · 0 unpaid · $22,411 wage replacement
- Pre-birth disability $4,482
- Recovery (vaginal) $6,723
- Bonding leave $11,206
Minnesota's programs
- MN Paid Leave Medical
- Earnings-based; all MN employers covered
- MN Paid Leave Family
- Same eligibility; bonding leave up to 12 weeks
- MN Paid Leave Job Protection
- Built into program; no employer-size or tenure threshold
- FMLA
- 50+ employee employer + 12 months tenure + 1,250 hours; federal job protection
Minnesota runs Paid Leave (PLL) through the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), Paid Leave Division, with job protection built directly into the same law (no separate state-FMLA equivalent).
PLL covers two leave categories: Medical Leave for your own serious health condition (including pregnancy and childbirth recovery) for up to 12 weeks per benefit year, and Family Leave for bonding with a new child, caring for a family member with a serious health condition, military family exigencies, or safety leave (domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking) for up to 12 weeks per benefit year. The legs share a 20-week combined cap — you cannot exceed 20 weeks of total leave in a single benefit year, even though each leg has its own 12-week ceiling.
The wage replacement formula is three-tier piecewise (the first state to use this structure in our calculator):
- 90% replacement on the portion of your average weekly wage up to 50% of the State Average Weekly Wage (SAWW = $1,423 in 2026)
- 66% replacement on the portion between 50% and 100% of SAWW
- 55% replacement on the portion above
- Maximum weekly benefit is $1,423 (100% of SAWW)
- A typical $80,000 earner receives approximately $1,173 per week
PLL has no waiting period — workers are paid for the entire approved leave from day 1.
Eligibility and how to apply
Eligibility. PLL requires earnings of at least $3,900 in your base period (the 4 of 5 most recent completed calendar quarters). There is no employer-tenure requirement for benefits — you just need the earnings history, which can come from one job or be combined across multiple jobs. Federal government employees, postal workers, and railroad employees working in Minnesota are not covered by PLL and cannot opt in; they have access to the federal Paid Parental Leave Act for 12 weeks of bonding leave. Self-employed workers, independent contractors, and Tribal Nations can opt into PLL through pl.mn.gov.
How to apply. All claims are filed online at pl.mn.gov. You can submit your application up to 60 days before your leave begins. The application requires certification from a healthcare provider or other qualifying professional. Communications happen through your online Paid Leave Account. Notice rule: notify your employer at least 30 days before your planned leave (or as soon as you are able for unforeseen events).
Job protection. Minnesota PLL has built-in job protection that covers virtually every worker in the state: any employer (with limited federal/postal/railroad exceptions), no minimum-hours requirement. The general rule is 90 days of tenure — but pregnancy-related medical leave and bonding leave are job-protected from day one (the 90-day threshold doesn't apply to maternity). Health insurance must be maintained during leave at the same level you had pre-leave (you continue paying your share, employer continues paying theirs). Anti-retaliation protections apply regardless of tenure.
State-specific things worth knowing
Three Minnesota-specific things worth knowing.
The 20-week combined cap shortens bonding for typical birthing parents. The two 12-week legs (medical + family) combine under a 20-week ceiling — so a vaginal birth's naive 4 pre-birth + 6 recovery + 12 bonding = 22 weeks truncates to 20, leaving 10 weeks of bonding. A C-section's 4 + 8 + 12 = 24 truncates to 20, leaving 8 bonding weeks. Less aggressive than Connecticut's 12-week single bucket, but more constraining than Washington's 16-week combined cap.
PLL is a brand-new program — benefits became payable starting January 1, 2026, after the law passed in 2023 and DEED adopted final rules in June 2025. Employers are still learning the rules; some may not have updated their handbooks yet. Verify with HR that your employer's leave policies reflect the new rules.
The three-tier formula favors lower-earners but caps high-earners hard: an earner at exactly the SAWW ($1,423/week ≈ $74k/year) gets the full cap; everyone above hits the same $1,423 ceiling regardless of salary. Some Minnesota employers offer voluntary top-up programs that pay the difference between PLL and full salary; ask HR before assuming PLL alone is sufficient.
Frequently asked questions
Does my employer have to pay me during Minnesota maternity leave?
Minnesota employers don't pay you directly during PLL leave — but Minnesota Paid Leave (PLL) pays you through the state-administered premium system. For 2026, the maximum weekly benefit is $1,423 (100% of the State Average Weekly Wage). The replacement is tiered: 90% of weekly wages up to $711.50, then 66% on the portion between $711.50 and $1,423, then 55% above. A typical $80,000 earner receives about $1,173/week. A $50,000 earner receives about $805/week. Some Minnesota employers offer voluntary top-up programs that pay the difference between PLL and full salary; ask HR.
What is Minnesota Paid Leave and how does it differ from FMLA?
Paid Leave (PLL) is Minnesota's state-funded paid family and medical leave program, effective January 1, 2026. It provides up to 12 weeks of medical leave and 12 weeks of family leave per benefit year (combined ceiling of 20 weeks). Federal FMLA is unpaid, only applies to employers with 50+ employees, and requires 12+ months of tenure and 1,250 hours worked. Minnesota PLL covers virtually every employer (with limited federal/postal/railroad exceptions) and has no minimum-hours requirement — substantially broader than federal FMLA. For pay, PLL eligibility is earnings-based: $3,900+ in your base period. For job protection, the general rule is 90 days of tenure, but pregnancy-related medical leave and bonding leave (the situations our calculator covers) are protected from day one — no tenure threshold applies.
How does Minnesota Paid Leave calculate the weekly benefit?
PLL uses a three-tier piecewise formula based on the state's average weekly wage (SAWW = $1,423 for 2026). The first $711.50 of your weekly wage (50% of SAWW) is replaced at 90%; the portion between $711.50 and $1,423 is replaced at 66%; the portion above $1,423 is replaced at 55%. All capped at $1,423/week. Examples: a $25,000 earner ($480.77/week) is entirely in the 90% tier and gets ~$433/week. A $50,000 earner ($961.54/week) spans tiers 1 and 2 and gets ~$805/week. A $80,000 earner gets ~$1,173/week. Anyone earning above ~$74,000/year hits the $1,423 weekly cap. The formula is set in Minnesota Statutes §268B.04.
Why is my bonding leave shorter than 12 weeks?
Minnesota PLL caps medical and family leave at 12 weeks each separately, but combined cannot exceed 20 weeks per benefit year. For a birthing parent: pre-birth disability (typically 4 weeks) + postpartum recovery (6 vaginal / 8 C-section) + bonding (12 weeks) = 22-24 weeks naive total. The 20-week ceiling truncates the bonding portion. Vaginal delivery: 4 + 6 + 10 bonding = 20 weeks. C-section: 4 + 8 + 8 bonding = 20 weeks. This is structurally unique to Minnesota's program design — most other state programs separate the legs (Massachusetts: 26-week combined; Washington: 16-week combined; Connecticut: 12-week single bucket). Non-birthing parents get the full 12 weeks of bonding leave because there's no medical leg consuming the bucket.
Does Minnesota have job protection during paid leave?
Yes — Minnesota Paid Leave has the most accessible state job protection in the US alongside Connecticut. Any employer with 1+ employees is covered (with limited exceptions for federal, postal, and railroad workers), and there is no minimum-hours requirement. For most leave types the rule is 90 days of tenure, but pregnancy-related medical leave and bonding leave are protected from day one — no tenure threshold applies to maternity. Your employer must restore you to your same job (or an equivalent one with the same pay, benefits, and work conditions) after your leave ends; you do not lose seniority. Health insurance must be maintained during leave at the same level you had pre-leave. Anti-retaliation protections also apply regardless of tenure.
Who pays for Minnesota Paid Leave?
PLL is funded through premiums split between employers and employees. For 2026, the total premium is 0.88% of wages. Employers must pay at least half (0.44%) and can deduct up to 0.44% from employee paychecks, though they can choose to pay 100% if they want. Small employers pay a reduced rate (specific value not yet published; Small Employer Assistance Grants are also available). Employers may apply for an Equivalent Plan Substitution to self-insure PLL benefits, subject to a bond requirement. The premium structure contrasts with Connecticut (uniquely 100% employee-funded), Washington (29/71 employer/employee split), and Massachusetts (60/40 on medical, 100% employee on family).
Is there a waiting period before Minnesota Paid Leave payments begin?
No — there is no waiting period for PLL payments. You are paid for the entire approved leave from day 1. This matches Connecticut (also 0-day waiting) and contrasts with Massachusetts (7 days), Washington (7 days for medical, 0 for bonding), and New Jersey (7 days for TDI). The lack of a waiting period is one of the most worker-friendly aspects of Minnesota's program design.