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2h ago

Minnesota Paid Leave Draws 38,000 Applications in First Month as Safeguards Flag Fraud Attempts

Officials say the rollout is on track with expectations.

(Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development)
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Supporters of a paid family and medical leave bill demonstrate outside the Senate chamber at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, Minn., on Monday, May 8, 2023, ahead of a debate on the legislation that passed the House. (AP Photo/Steve Karnowski)

Overview

  • DEED reports about 13,000 approvals and roughly $30 million in benefits paid so far.
  • Multiple attempted fraud cases were identified and referred to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, with officials declining to specify counts.
  • Nearly half of applications are for bonding leave and about 41% are for medical leave, with the remainder for caring, safety, or military family reasons.
  • The majority of applicants are women, and about 65% of Minnesotans on leave are under age 40.
  • More than 21,000 cases had been processed by Jan. 31, with the most common denial reason being employer-equivalent paid leave plans; DEED urges online identity verification to speed reviews and expects the early surge to taper.