Kandiyohi County on Nov. 4 adopted a Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) policy to participate in Minnesota’s state PFML program effective Jan. 1, 2026, and revised the county’s FMLA plan year so the entitlements will run concurrently where reasons overlap.

Katie Ziemer, the county’s human resources director, described PFML as a state‑run program that provides job protection and partial wage replacement for qualifying employees. She said eligibility requires at least $3,700 in earnings in the prior 12 months and that employees may qualify for up to 12 weeks of medical leave, and up to 12 weeks of family leave, for a combined maximum of 20 weeks in a year when both reasons are used. The state will set wage replacement amounts based on employees’ average weekly wages, Ziemer said.

Kandiyohi County solicited private‑plan bids but found no cost advantage and decided to adopt the state program. The board approved county PFML policy language and a change to the FMLA plan year that lets county leave administration run forward from Jan. 1, which county staff said is necessary to coordinate concurrent leave entitlements.

The board also received updates that the county is continuing to coordinate with bargaining units; several memorandum‑of‑understanding documents were expected to come to the board for approval at a subsequent meeting.