The Essential Guide to Family & Medical Leave

320 | the essential guide to family and medical leave
Minnesota
Family and Medical Leave (Minn. Stat. §§ 181-940 and following)
Covered Employers: Employers with at least 21 employees.
Eligible Employees: Employees who have worked at least half-time for one year.
Types of Leave: For the birth or adoption of a child.
Amount of Leave: Six weeks. Leave must begin within six weeks of the child’s
arrival; if child has to stay in the hospital longer than the mother, leave may
begin within six weeks of the child’s discharge.
Procedural Requirements
• Notice: Leave must begin on date requested by employee, but employer
may adopt reasonable policies regarding the timing of requests for leave.
If employee has been on leave for more than a month, employee must
give two weeks’ notice of return to work.
• Benefits: Employer must make group health benefits available to
employee during leave, but need not pay for them.
Small Necessities Law (Minn. Stat. Ann. § 181.9412)
Covered Employers: Employers with at least two employees.
Eligible Employees: Employees who have worked for the employer for at least
12 months.
Reasons for Leave: To attend school conferences or other school-related
activities for the employee’s child, if they cannot be scheduled during
nonwork hours.
Amount of Leave: Sixteen hours of unpaid leave in any 12-month period.
Procedural Requirements
• Notice: If need for leave is foreseeable, employee must provide reasonable
prior notice and attempt to schedule leave so as not to unduly disrupt
the employer’s operations.
• Paid Leave: Employee may substitute accrued paid vacation or other
appropriate paid leave.