ST. PAUL, MN – State Sen. Susan Kent, Rep. Laurie Halverson, and representatives from the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE) held a news conference about the importance of providing new parents access to paid parental leave. Below is a statement from Lt. Governor Tina Smith.
“I became a new mom in 1987. At the time, I ran my own business out of the house, and my husband Archie worked long hours and traveled constantly. Two years later, we had another son. I don’t know how we would have managed without time away from work.
“I was lucky. But having time to spend with your new baby should not be a matter of luck. Right now only 12 percent of American workers have access to paid family leave.
“Providing paid parental leave will help state government attract and retain the next generation of public servants. We also will join some of Minnesota’s leading employers, including Target, Mayo Clinic, and General Mills.
“I thank Rep. Laurie Halverson and Sen. Susan Kent for authoring paid parental leave legislation for state employees. I urge the Legislature to take action this session to provide it. This is an opportunity for Minnesota to be a leader, and an important for first step to providing paid parental leave for all Minnesotans, no matter where they work.”
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November 2016, Lt. Governor Tina Smith announced that the State of Minnesota would begin offering up to six weeks of paid parental leave to 32,000 state employees across Minnesota.
