Navigating A Workers’ Compensation Claim And Minnesota’s New Paid Leave Benefits

Minnesota enacted a new Paid Leave program beginning this year that provides Minnesotans with paid benefits if they need to take family or medical leave during the year. Workers are allowed to take up to 12 weeks of each benefit a year, with a combined maximum of 20 weeks in a single year, and they must have earned at least $3,900 in the previous year to qualify for these benefits. Most individuals will receive between 55% and 90% of their regular wages while on leave, with payments capped at the state’s average weekly wage of $1,423.

The Paid Leave benefits are wonderful for Minnesotans, but don’t assume that you can easily double dip into these benefits and workers’ compensation payments in the event you suffer an on-the-job injury. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at how to navigate Paid Leave benefits while pursuing a workers’ compensation claim in Minnesota.

Paid Leave And Work Comp Benefits In Minnesota

If you suffer an injury at work, you or your lawyer will likely move forward with a workers’ compensation claim. However, you may be wondering if you can also tap into these new Paid Leave benefits. It’s possible that you will be able to, but know that it’s not as simple as just filing for them.

For starters, when you apply for Paid Leave benefits in Minnesota, the application will ask you if you’re receiving workers’ compensation benefits. They want to know this because it helps the two departments coordinate and prevent overpayments. Assuming you have a valid injury claim, you’ll disclose this on your application, but that doesn’t automatically exclude you from benefits. The team at the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) will look at your case and the benefits you’re receiving from your workers’ compensation claim. If your workers’ compensation payment is greater than or equal to what you would receive for Paid Leave benefits, you will not receive compensation for Paid Leave benefits.

With that said, there are definitely situations where a worker would qualify for payments from workers’ compensation and Paid Leave, including:

If wage loss benefits do not exceed what they would receive through Paid Leave benefits.
If the claim is currently being disputed by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurer.
If you have other qualifying expenses, like family caregiving expenses unrelated to the work injury.
If your workers’ compensation claim has been denied.

If you’re wondering how to proceed in order to maximize your benefits after a work injury, the smartest move is to contact a workers’ compensation attorney like Dean and the team at Margolis Law Firm. If you don’t pursue these benefits correctly or fail to report that you are collecting workers’ compensation when seeking Paid Leave benefits, you can leave money on the table, cause delays or be forced to return payments in the event you are found to have been overpaid. Instead of trying to figure this all out on your own, trust the process to an attorney who understands the laws and the injury compensation system. We’ve helped many clients get these new Paid Leave benefits and maximize their workers’ compensation claim, and we can do the same for you!

If you’re wondering about the best way to approach your workers’ compensation claim and Paid Leave benefits, reach out to Dean and the team at Margolis Law Firm. Give our team a call today at (952) 230-2700.