Having trouble viewing this email?  [ [link removed] ]View it as a Web page [ [link removed] ].






Wiener




*October 13, 2025*






Dear Neighbors,

Minnesota has been here before. When the Feeding our Future program first launched, the idea was noble; ensure children in need did not go hungry. Instead, it became the largest fraud case in state history, with more than $250 million stolen through fake invoices, falsified rosters, and rubber stamped approvals. And feeding our future is not an isolated story. Minnesota has a disturbing track record of handing out taxpayer money with minimal oversight - and only uncovering the fraud after the money is gone.

Now,  the state is preparing to roll out Paid Family Medical Leave or (PFML) and the Sick and Safe Leave Time (ESST) mandate. Both sound compassionate on paper. But the reality is that these programs are built on the same shaky foundations that enabled past fraud.  Unless lawmakers put the brakes on PFML before it begins, Minnesota could be staring down the next billion dollar scandal.

*A system ripe for abuse:*

The PFML program will move billions of taxpayer dollars every year. Employees will be able to claim partial wage replacement for up to 20 weeks of leave. To qualify, all they need is a doctor's note or certification of need. This is precisely the kind of documentation that can be fabricated, exaggerated, or bought.

We've already seen what happens when State agencies rely on self-reporting and trust without verification. During the pandemic, criminals use stolen  identities to drain unemployment insurance. In feeding our future, state officials ignored red flags because the paperwork looked incomplete. PFML opens the door to exactly the same types of abuse:

      -false medical claims for stress, back pain, or caregiving responsibilities.

      -collusion with providers willing to sign off on non-existent conditions.

      -double dipping, with people collecting PFML benefits while working off the books.

      -identity theft, where fraudsters file claims using stolen social security numbers.

Meanwhile, the ESST mandate shifts programs onto employers. While not a state administered fund, ESST creates plenty of opportunities for abuse at the workplace level. Employees can simply call in sick or claim "safe time" without consequences, leaving businesses to cover wages and lost productivity. That's not fraud on the taxpayer, but it's fraud against Minnesota's jobs Creator many of whom are already struggling under high taxes and regulations.

*The cost of getting it wrong: *

Lawmakers say PFML will cost more than a billion dollars a year in benefits, funded by a new payroll tax. If even 10% of the claims are fraudulent, a conservative estimate given Minnesota track record, hundreds of millions could be lost annually. That's more than enough to erode trust, drive up payroll taxes further, and destabilize the very fund workers are counting on. 

Worse, every dollar stolen through fraud is a dollar that does not go to a family with a legitimate need. The people who lose most are not just the taxpayers footing the bill, but also the honest Minnesotans who will find the program insolvent when they actually need it. 

*The bottom line:*

Minnesota leaders claim PFML in ESST are about compassion and family values. But compassion without accountability is an invitation to corruption. Our state cannot afford another feeding our future. 

If the legislature truly cares about helping families, it must either halt PFML before billions are lost or at a minimum delay the rollout until strong safeguards are written into law and funded. Anything less is reckless - and the taxpayers will once again be left holding the bag. 






Please Contact Me

It’s an honor and privilege to work for you at the Capitol. Don’t hesitate to contact my office at any time this session to share your thoughts, concerns or ideas. I am here to serve you!

Mike











Facebook Logo

 

/Rep





2319 Centennial Office Building
658 Cedar Street
Saint Paul, MN 55155
651.296.4293







________________________________________________________________________

Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page [ [link removed] ]. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please visit subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com [ [link removed] ].

This service is provided to you at no charge by Minnesota House GOP [ [link removed] ].

________________________________________________________________________

This email was sent to [email protected] using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: Minnesota House GOP · 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. · Saint Paul, MN 55155 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]