Gov. Tim Walz has heavily touted Minnesota’s new paid leave program as a lifeline for workers facing medical emergencies and family crises. But for several Minnesotans who reached out to Alpha News, that promised safety net has so far felt more like a bureaucratic dead end.
The state’s paid leave program, administered by Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, officially launched Jan. 1.
It allows eligible workers to receive partial wage replacement while taking time off for their own health condition, to care for a family member or to bond with a new child. The program offers up to 12 weeks each of family and medical leave, capped at 20 weeks total annually.
Walz and DEED have repeatedly highlighted the program’s rollout as a success. During a briefing last month, DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek said that as of March 15, nearly 34,000 Minnesotans had been approved for leave since the program began.
The agency said it has processed nearly 50,000 applications and that two-thirds of all complete and accurate applications are approved or denied within three weeks.
Delays leave workers in limbo
For some Minnesotans, the state’s new paid leave program has become more than a paperwork headache, with multiple people telling Alpha News that delays stretching well beyond three weeks — and in some cases months — are now affecting their ability to pay bills.
One worker who contacted Alpha News said they have been on medical leave through their work since March 18 but are still waiting for the state to process an application submitted more than a month ago.
According to the worker, their private insurance carrier has already approved the leave claim and is prepared to cover the portion of wages not paid by the state.
But there’s a catch.
Because Minnesota’s paid leave program is expected to cover roughly 70% of wages, the private insurer said it cannot release the remaining benefit until the worker receives an official award letter from the state confirming the amount approved.
As a result, the worker said they remain without the income they were expecting while on leave.
“My private insurance is good to go, but I am still waiting on the state to do their job, and it is affecting me financially,” the worker told Alpha News. “This is MNLARS all over again” — a reference to the state’s notoriously botched vehicle registration system, which became a symbol of long lines, incorrect fees and bureaucratic dysfunction after taxpayers spent more than $100 million on the rollout and subsequent fixes.
Applicants report months-long wait time
The account mirrors other recent complaints from applicants who say claims have remained pending for extended periods.
One family described a similar struggle after their father underwent open-heart surgery and spent roughly two months hospitalized at the University of Minnesota.
His wife applied for family leave benefits to care for him but initially could not get clear answers from the state.
“It’s been two months since she applied and she can’t seem to get anywhere and get the runaround every time she calls,” a family member told Alpha News last month.
Days ago, the family said they finally received a response from the state after approximately three months.
Another applicant told Alpha News the delays they’re experiencing may result in the loss of health coverage for the person’s entire family.
The applicant said they first applied for paid leave on Feb. 25 and were initially told claims were being processed within three weeks.
After calling again on March 24 and explaining that family health insurance coverage would be canceled if premiums were not paid by April 1, the applicant said a representative claimed the application would be “rushed.”
But when the person called back the next day after seeing no update in the portal, another representative allegedly said there were no notes from the prior call and no record of any rush request.
As of April 1, the applicant told Alpha News that no determination had been made and the family’s health coverage was set to be canceled.
The tipster, who said they work for the State of Minnesota, also alleged receiving conflicting information from multiple representatives.
“I have been told lies after lies after lies and different answers every time I call,” the applicant said. “I should have known that this was going to be a disaster.”
The individual said the leave was taken for mental health reasons and that the prolonged delays have only worsened those issues.
DEED responds to Alpha News
Alpha News asked DEED about the specific cases raised by applicants, as well as questions regarding processing delays, website access issues, average wait times and the number of complaints received since the program launched.
In a statement to Alpha News, DEED said: “We understand that Minnesotans often apply to Paid Leave during some of the most difficult times in their lives. We take our responsibility seriously to support Minnesotans through life’s most important moments without having to worry about their job or their income. We always do our best to support applicants when we’re aware of their circumstances but must balance this with program integrity protections and the need to serve all applicants fairly. We had a strong start with no major technology issues since our successful launch in November and we remain committed to continuously improving our services and technology to better serve the people of Minnesota.”
Jenna Gloeb
Jenna Gloeb is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, media producer, public speaker, and screenwriter. Most recently, she worked as a reporter and on-air host for CCX Media. Jenna is a Minnesota native and resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, daughter, and two dogs.
