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A new North Star on paid leave from the North Star State
Molly Weston Williamson explains the national importance of Minnesota becoming the first state in the Midwest to guarantee paid leave.
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Minnesota’s Legislature is sending a landmark paid leave law to the desk of outspoken paid leave champion Gov. Tim Walz, making Minnesota the first state in the Midwest to guarantee paid leave.
The law will cover nearly all of the state’s 2.8 million employees, with benefits beginning in January 2026. For Minnesota, this win will be game changing for economic security, population health, and racial and gender equity — all while injecting millions in wage growth into the economy and saving lives. But far from being contained within the state, Minnesota’s win will resonate throughout the country.
The above excerpt was originally published in the Minnesota Reformer. Click here to view the full article.
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Women’s Initiative
The Women’s Initiative develops robust, progressive policies and solutions to ensure all women can participate in the economy and live healthy, productive lives.