More Employers Granting Paid Parental Leave

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A Minnesota company is the latest in a growing number of employers in the state providing paid leave for new parents.

3M recently announced it will grant all parents in its U.S. operations 10 weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child. Federal law only requires up to 12 weeks of unpaid parental leave for the majority of government and private-sector employees.

3M supervisor Meghan Keating, who is currently pregnant with her second child, says the program will allow employees to worry less about whether they can afford to be away from work that long, and focus more on spending time with family.

3M human resources executive Mike Anderson says the program is about investing in employees for the long term, and "attracting and retaining talent."