The bonding time between parents and their newborn child is crucial. This is the main reason why Gov. Mark Dayton of Minnesota proposed a bill increasing the paid leave of parents for up to six weeks.
The governor's office estimated 500 employees will utilize this privilege every year. But according to statistics, 35,000 state employees would be eligible for taking leaves after pregnancy or adoption. This plan would cost $6 million dollars in taxpayer's money.
Gov. Dayton described this types of privilege as building blocks in creating a better workforce and at the same time attract top employees to stay and serve the government. But Dayton clarifies that this proposal is still in the works which exclude private-employed workers.
It is during US Labor secretary Thomas Perez workforce summit when Dayton announced his plans in Minnesota. It is here that family and sick leave are big issues and Minnesotans call for 12 weeks paid time off. Perez reiterated that laws haven't caught up with the changing face of America. He added that during these times, more and more couple are having careers at the same time but, unfortunately, the law didn't evolve with it.
A few private establishments in Minnesota adopted this policy and offer paid family leave like The Mayo Clinic, Target, Ecolab and General Mills. For the government sector, Hennepin County, the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, the University of Minnesota, and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system also have followed the policy.
Contrary to this, chairwoman of the House State Government Finance Committee, Rep. Sarah Anderson questioned Dayton's move in prioritizing the government employee over the private sector which she believes wanted to have more compensation after giving birth. She added that she is still finding ways on how everybody can join in not just only one sector of the community.
