In an interview aired on national television, Gov. Tim Walz claimed he had the support of Minnesota’s business community in passing a new paid family and medical leave policy, and noted that prominent people who tried to block the law from taking effect It shook the feathers of business leaders.
Walz appeared on “60 Minutes” Monday night with Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate. Asked about the policy Walz signed into law and whether it was a “dangerously liberal” version of former President Donald Trump’s plan, the Minnesota governor said he would not be able to pass universal school lunches. Efforts to fund and implement paid family and medical leave programs have broad support, he said. .
“We have a paid family and medical leave program that was championed by the business community,” Walz said.
Although some small business owners supported the proposal to create a state-run paid leave program, several large business groups, including the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, the Minnesota Business Partnership, and the Minnesota Chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business, supported the proposal to create a state-run paid leave program. opposed.
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The Harris-Waltz campaign pointed to several Minnesota business owners who support paid family and medical leave laws and said the governor’s comments were about them.
“In Minnesota, Governor Walz has worked with business leaders to grow the economy, create jobs, reduce costs and harness the power of innovation,” Kendall Whitmer, the campaign’s senior communications adviser for Minnesota, said in a statement. We have a track record.” “Minnesota’s small businesses and entrepreneurs deserve Vice President Harris and Governor Walz to help them grow and prosper.”
Democrats approved legislation in 2023 that would create a new paid family and medical leave program funded by payroll taxes paid by workers and employers.
From 2026, workers may be able to take up to 12 weeks of partially paid leave to care for a newborn. It would also allow people to take up to an additional 12 weeks to care for a sick loved one.
Employees may not take more than 20 weeks of annual leave options combined. Companies that already offer the same amount or more in vacation pay do not need to opt in to the program.
Waconia business owner Jody Tice spoke out against the proposed paid family and medical leave bill at the Capitol on Monday.
Dana Ferguson | MPR News
The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce quickly pushed back against Walz’s new comments, emphasizing that the industry group supports the proposal. The group pointed to a letter on social media platform X that dozens of business leaders sent to lawmakers opposing the change.
Doug Luhn, the chamber’s president and CEO, said the governor’s comments misunderstand the chamber’s position.
“There should be no misconceptions about our position on the paid family and medical leave proposal that became law,” Luhn told MPR News. “It was a very loud and clear voice of opposition, and along the way suggestions were also made to improve the proposal, which were mostly rejected.”
Since the bill was approved, actuarial studies have determined that premiums will likely need to be higher than originally anticipated to support the program. Business leaders and Republican lawmakers have expressed concerns about the tax dollars used to fund the program.
Supporters of the Paid Families Leave Act speak at the State Capitol in St. Paul on May 8, 2023.
Ben Hovland | MPR News
Labor groups, faith leaders, health care workers and workers who do not receive paid leave benefits through their jobs supported the proposal. They said this would give more workers time to recover from illness, bond with their children and provide for their families.
