Providers and certifiers: your roles and responsibilities

Paid Leave is building a program with Minnesotans that works for everyone who needs it – including employers, individuals, and healthcare and social service providers.

Healthcare and social service providers play an important role in making Paid Leave work. You have two important responsibilities:

• Certify leave for the people you serve.
• Educate and inform them about Paid Leave.

Learn more about your role and responsibilities below, and explore our Certifier Toolkit for additional resources including frequently asked questions, handouts, and more.

Your partnership will make Paid Leave stronger and will help us continue to improve the way we serve Minnesotans. Sign up for emails from Paid Leave to receive updates about ways to share input on program and product design. You can also contact us with any questions or feedback you have about Paid Leave.

Certify need

The most important role of healthcare and social service providers in the Paid Leave process is to certify someone's need for Medical or Family Leave. Whether someone needs to take leave to address their own serious health condition or personal safety, to care for a family member with a serious health condition, or to bond with a new child, providers are the ones who certify that someone's situation requires Paid Leave. Providers may also need to re-certify someone's leave if the person needs more time, needs to switch from one type of leave to another, or has a significant change in their ability to work.

Paid Leave has done extensive research with healthcare and social service providers, and we know that you need a process that's as streamlined and familiar as possible. We've modeled our certification forms on the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) forms – and we will even accept FMLA forms to certify Paid Leave.

We are continuously looking into ways to make this process even easier and more efficient for providers and those they serve.

Educate and inform

Paid Leave makes time for people to take care of themselves and their loved ones during some of life's most important moments. By supporting patients who need leave, healthcare and social service providers help ensure people don't need to choose between their health, their family, and their job.

Part of this support includes educating patients who may be eligible for Paid Leave about the program. We encourage healthcare and social service providers to provide information and resources to patients whose situation may qualify for Paid Leave. You can find educational materials -- including posters, handouts, and videos -- in our Certifier Toolkit. Information is available in English, Hmong, Somali, and Spanish, with additional languages and alternative formats available upon request.