Small business employer with a private paid leave plan permission to receive assistance grants

This bill allows small Minnesota businesses with 30 or fewer employees and lower average wages to apply for financial assistance grants to help cover costs when employees take family or medical leave. Under the new provisions, eligible employers can receive up to $3,000 for each temporary worker hired or wage increase made to substitute for an employee on leave for at least seven days, with a maximum total of $6,000 per employer per year. The bill removes a previous restriction that barred employers with private paid leave plans from receiving these grants, while requiring documentation that the costs are directly tied to employee leave usage. Funding is capped at $5 million annually from the family and medical benefit insurance account, with applications processed on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted.