SAINT PAUL, MN— Representative Sarah Anderson (R-Plymouth), Chair of the House State Government Finance Committee, released the following statement regarding the announced proposal today from Governor Mark Dayton to provide state employees with six weeks of paid parental leave:
"As a working parent, I know how important parental leave is for mothers and fathers, and that is why I am currently working on legislation for this session that provides for more families in the private sector to receive paid parental leave after the birth or adoption of a child. While I understand the intent of the governor's proposal, it continues to widen the gap between public and private sector employees. The kind of benefits, including paid parental leave, that state employees already receive are not often matched in private employment, and I am concerned that this plan puts government first, and not the people it serves.
House Republicans have not yet seen the details of the governor's proposal, but we will review the plan in more detail. We all share the goal of making sure Minnesota is a place where people want to raise their family."