Minnesota PFML is Coming: What You Need to Know (Part 1)
March 6, 2025 from 01:00 pm - 02:30 pm CT
Virtual
Minnesota’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program is on its way—are you ready? Join us for "Minnesota PFML is Coming; What You Need to Know", where we’ll break down the key details of this new program. Our discussion will cover the background and importance of PFML, the national and state landscape, eligibility and coverage specifics, leave reasons, benefit interactions, and the critical timeline for compliance. Don’t miss this opportunity to stay informed and prepare for the changes ahead!
Agenda:
- Background and importance
- National and state PFML landscape
- MN PFML eligibility and coverage
- Leave reasons and benefit interaction
- Timeline and key actions
About the speakers
Alicia Schwartz, REBC
Benefit Consultant, Employee Benefits
As a Benefits Consultant for the firm, Alicia brings to the table strategic options that meet budget requirements, enhance employee value perception, and adhere to regulatory guidelines. Through her expertise in advanced healthcare strategies and population health management, Alicia’s top-tier market solutions pave the way for success to employers in western Wisconsin and west-central Minnesota.
Alicia’s foundation in the insurance industry began in 2001 as a licensed insurance agent in Life, Health, and Property and Casualty insurance. As a naturally growth-oriented professional, Alicia has continued to round out her knowledge base and expertise to expand the value she provides to her clients. Alicia holds the designation of Registered Employee Benefit Consultant® (REBC®) with the National Association of Business and Industry Professionals (NABIP). She also holds certifications for Employer Sponsored Plans, Advanced Self-Funding and Group Wellness Programming. In her tenure as a consultant, she has worked with private and public sector employers ranging from 20 to 1,000 employees and is an active member in the Advanced Healthcare Strategy and Population Health Impact Groups at the firm. Alicia is a proud member of Catalyst for Payment Reform, an independent, nonprofit corporation with the mission to catalyze employers, public purchasers, and others to implement strategies that produce higher value health care and improve the functioning of the health care marketplace.
Alicia's approach prioritizes building a foundation of trust, integrity, and empathy with everyone she interacts with. She takes the time to truly understand the goals and aspirations of everyone she is working with to focus on solutions with measurable outcomes that meet the needs of all stakeholders.
She lives in New Richmond with her husband and three sons. She enjoys family time, taking long road trips and being outside, as well as DIY projects, tending to her garden and chickens, and volunteering in the community.
Strengths: Ideation, Relator, Communication, Developer, Input
Predictive Index Profile: Maverick
Fun Fact: Alicia loves all things homesteading.
Karen English, CPCU, ARM
National Absence Management Practice Leader
Karen English is Alera Group’s National Absence Management Practice Leader. She has over 25 years of experience in the absence, disability, absence, PFML, and workers’ compensation market with an emphasis on product design, benchmarking best practices, and process improvement. Karen is currently the lead consultant for the State of New Hampshire’s PFML program and was the lead consultant for the Maryland Study of the FAMLI Program and Hawaii’s PFML Impact Study in accordance with Act 109, Session Laws of Hawaii. She is also the lead consultant for our work with the DMEC, developing educational content for state and federal leave plans, surveying employers on their practices for leave management, and managing benchmarking for leave and disability plans. Prior to joining Alera Group, she was a founder and Senior Consultant of Spring Consulting Group, led the regional risk & insurance practice for a small consulting firm, held the role of Assistant Risk Manager for one of the nation’s largest banks, and was a casualty broker for two of the world’s largest insurance brokers. Karen has her BBA in Risk Management and Human Resources from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and her MBA in Finance from University of Minnesota – Carlson School of Management. She has also earned the designations of CPCU, ARM, ACI, and AU and is a licensed insurance broker.
LinkedInSonja Spruiel
Ancillary, Statutory and Specialty Product Leader
Sonja Spruiel is Alera Group’s Ancillary, Statutory and Specialty Product Leader. She has over 30 years of experience in employee benefits including ancillary benefits, absence, paid family and medical leave programs and property casualty. Since 2012, Sonja has been heavily focused on state mandated paid family and medical leave programs and has been very involved in emerging paid family & medical leave programs as more and more states have been passing these laws. Prior to 2021, New York, New Jersey, California, Hawaii and Rhode Island were the US states with a mandated Paid Medical and/or Family Leave requirement. Massachusetts became the first emerging “new” state to pass a paid family and medical leave law that began in 2021. Since then, multiple states have passed similar laws; Colorado, Connecticut, Oregon, District of Columbia, Washington and as of 2025, Delaware, Maryland, Maine and Minnesota are all implementing their own paid family & medical leave laws to begin in 2025 and 2026. Sonja enjoys working with employers to educate them about the requirements, nuances and state allowed options as well as provide experiences as the various states have joined the PFML map across the US.
LinkedInShep Sepaniak
Managing Partner, Related Risk - Alera Group Absence Management
Shep Sepaniak is Alera’s Absence Administration Leader. Shep has over 25 years' experience in employee benefits, holding sales and leadership roles in carrier, retail, and consulting brokerage businesses, specializing in statutory disability and other leave benefits until developing a proprietary leave outsourcing solution on behalf of the New Jersey Hospital Association and Lloyds of London, founding what today is Alera Absence Administrators. Since 2012, Alera Absence Administrators has demonstrated expertise in administering leave programs for public sector, healthcare, higher education, retail/hospitality, and utilities employers across the country. Alera Absence Administrators provides white-label solutions to several national and regional carriers and administers leave benefits for the some of the largest, most complex clients and statutory programs in the country. Shep graduated with honors from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill with a B. S. in Business Administration and a B. A. in Economics.
LinkedIn