ST PAUL, Minn. — In a matter of weeks, Minnesota will introduce a new paid family and medical leave program, effective January 1.

The program, which was passed by the DFL-controlled legislature in 2023, provides 12 weeks of family leave annually, 12 weeks of medical leave or 20 weeks for a combination of both. Minnesota will become the 13th state in the U.S. to implement mandatory paid leave, which employers must follow unless they offer an equivalent plan.

Given the scale of the more than $600 million program, state officials in the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development say there are safeguards in place to prevent the kind of fraud seen in other areas of state government. Those officials testified Wednesday at the State Capitol, at the invitation of the Republican-

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