Paid Family & Medical Leave: Pros and Cons

(ABC 6 News) – Lawmakers in Minnesota recently passed a bill providing workers in the state up to 12 weeks of paid family leave and up to 12 more weeks of paid medical leave.

Supporters say the bill would allow Minnesotans to take care of themselves or family members without having to sacrifice a paycheck.

Gale Julius, who has a rare form of lymphoma says her wife was only able to take a short time off of work during her treatment. Something she hopes others won’t have to go through thanks to this bill.

“I care about Minnesota and I don’t want anyone else to go through what my family did when a diagnosis like this hit. I’m looking forward to being able to celebrate with all of Minnesota on that particular issue,” Faith in Minnesota activist Gale Julius said.

But the program is still receiving pushback from some who say it would create too large of a cost and burden for small businesses.

That includes Bob Nuss who owns and operates Nuss Trucking and Equipment in Rochester.

Nuss says that the bill does include provisions he supports, but overall he says it could end up costing him.

“If we have less technicians or less parts people to service customers that means our customers are going to have to elsewhere it’s not picking on any one business its pick on all of our businesses within the state it makes us less competitive.” Nuss said.

Lawmakers are now working out the differences between the House and Senate version.

Once that work is complete it will be sent to governor Walz’s desk who says he plans on signing it into law.