Minnesota Paid Family Leave Contribution Rates 2026
Minnesota runs Minnesota Paid Leave (MN Paid Leave), funded by a payroll contribution of 0.88% of wages.
2026 rate card
- Total contribution rate
- 0.88%
- Employer share
- 50%
- 0.44% of wages
- Employee share
- 50%
- 0.44% of wages
- Wage cap
- $184,500
- Per employee, per year
- Maximum employee contribution
- None
- Small-employer relief
- Relief at 30 or fewer employees
- Reduced to 0.66%
Last verified August 18, 2026Source: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
Next rate change: January 1, 2027
Contribution rates and benefit figures both change on 1 January.
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Estimates only. Confirm current rates with your state agency before filing or budgeting.
Who must contribute
- The 0.88% premium is 0.27% family leave plus 0.61% medical leave.
- An employer may deduct up to half the premium (0.44%) from the employee and must fund the rest.
- Qualifying small employers pay a reduced 0.66% total. They may still deduct up to 0.44% from employees, so the employer share falls to 0.22%.
- To qualify for the small-employer rate an employer must have 30 or fewer employees AND an average employee wage below 150% of the statewide average annual wage. Both tests must be met.
- The test is “30 or fewer”, so an employer with exactly 30 employees qualifies. Minn. Stat. 268B.14 subd. 5a(a)(1) sets the count at “30 or fewer employees pursuant to subdivision 5b”, and subd. 5b counts employees working in Minnesota — reviewed from your quarterly wage detail reports over the four quarters ending 30 September of the previous year. Employees in other states are not counted.
- Wages are capped at the Social Security taxable maximum.
- Up to 12 weeks for either family or medical leave, and up to 20 weeks combined in a benefit year.
- Approved private plans may be substituted.
How the headcount is counted: Minnesota counts only your Minnesota employees. Staff in other states do not count towards the threshold.
What employees receive
- Maximum weekly benefit
- $1,423.00
- Maximum weeks
- 20 weeks
- Per benefit year, combined where programs stack
- Wage replacement
- Up to 90% of wages
Benefit amounts are what an employee on leave receives. They are set separately from the contribution rate and are usually re-published each year against the state average weekly wage — often on a different cycle to the premium.
How much will I receive?
If you are the one taking leave rather than the one paying for it, this works out your weekly payment from your own pay. Nothing you type leaves this page.
Your gross pay — before tax and deductions come out.
How long you can take depends on the reason.
Choose your state and enter your pay to see an estimate. Everything is worked out in your browser — nothing you type is sent anywhere.
Estimates only. Confirm current rates with your state agency before filing or budgeting.
- How it is worked out
- 90% / 66% / 55% of pay
- Measured against $1,423.00 — minnesota state average weekly wage
- Unpaid waiting period
- None
- Figures change
- 1 January
- Each calendar year
Questions if you are taking leave
- How much does paid family leave pay in Minnesota?
- Minnesota replaces 90% of the first $711.50 of your average weekly pay, and 66% of anything above that. That is why lower earners get back a larger share of their pay than higher earners. Whatever the calculation produces, the payment is capped at $1,423.00 a week. Above a certain salary everyone in Minnesota receives the same amount.
- How long can I take paid family leave in Minnesota?
- Minnesota allows up to 12 weeks to bond with a new child, 12 weeks for your own serious health condition, 12 weeks to care for a family member. If you need more than one kind of leave in the same year, the total is capped at 20 weeks.
- When do paid family leave payments start in Minnesota?
- Minnesota has no unpaid waiting period, so payment covers your leave from the first day. That is separate from processing time — Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development still has to approve your claim before money moves.
- Is Minnesota paid family leave taxed?
- Usually yes at the federal level, and how much depends on which part of the benefit you receive and on your own circumstances. Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development will tell you whether it withholds tax from your payments and will issue the relevant tax form. The figures on this page are gross, before any tax. For anything specific to your situation, ask Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development or a tax professional.
- Can I take Minnesota paid family leave intermittently?
- In most cases yes, though the rules on minimum blocks and notice differ and can change what you are paid. Confirm with Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development before planning around intermittent leave.
Private plan option
Minnesota permits an employer to substitute an approved private or voluntary plan for the state plan. The plan must be at least as generous as the statutory one and must be approved by Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development before it takes effect. If you run an approved private plan, the state premiums above do not apply — your carrier sets the cost instead. How to decide between the two.
Key dates
- 1 January
- New rates take effect. Update payroll before the first pay run of the year.
- Quarterly
- Wage reports and premium payments are due to Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, generally by the last day of the month following each quarter.
- Autumn
- Next year’s rate is announced. This page is re-checked against the agency in November and updated in December.
Common questions
What is the Minnesota paid family leave rate for 2026?
The Minnesota Minnesota Paid Leave contribution is 0.88% of wages for 2026. The employer pays 50% of that and the employee pays 50%.
How much does an employer pay for paid family leave in Minnesota?
The employer pays 0.44% of subject wages — 50% of the 0.88% total. On $1,000,000 of Minnesota payroll, that is about $4,400 a year, before any wage cap is applied.
Is there a wage cap on Minnesota paid leave contributions?
Yes. Only the first $184,500 of each employee's annual wages is subject to the premium in 2026. The cap applies per employee, so a high earner stops contributing partway through the year while everyone else keeps going.
Are small employers exempt from Minnesota paid family leave?
Minnesota reduces the cost below 31 employees rather than exempting you outright. Employers under that size pay 0.66% in total. Only your Minnesota employees count towards the threshold.
What is the maximum Minnesota paid leave benefit?
Up to $1,423.00 a week, for up to 20 weeks in a benefit year. Wage replacement is up to 90% of wages, so lower earners replace a larger proportion of their pay than higher earners.
Can we use a private plan instead of the Minnesota state plan?
Yes. Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development can approve a private or voluntary plan that is at least as generous as the state program. Once approved, you stop paying the state premium and pay your carrier instead. Approval is not automatic and it is not retroactive, so the state rate applies until the plan is in force.
Estimates only. Confirm current rates with your state agency before filing or budgeting.
Last verified August 18, 2026Source: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
Maintained by Treesera Technologies, Payroll and compliance calculators. How these rates are sourced.
Employing in more than one state?
Minnesota is one of 14 jurisdictions with a paid leave premium, and no two use the same rate, split or cap. Calculate the combined cost in one place.
Calculate the combined cost