SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Today, the Minnesota House approved legislation extending the COVID-19 presumption for workers’ compensation. The law provides a presumption that if public safety or health care workers contract COVID-19, they did so during the course of their employment and are covered by workers’ compensation.
“Saying ‘thank you’ to our front line workers simply isn’t enough. We need to deliver the support they need to be safe, healthy, and thrive,” said Rep. Liz Olson (DFL – Duluth). “As they work to protect and support us, we also have the responsibility to ensure that if they become sick, they don’t have to fight an uphill battle to protect their economic security. Continuing the workers’ compensation presumption will help ensure they don’t have to.”
“A COVID-19 diagnosis poses enough challenges already, and front line workers who get sick shouldn’t need to worry about the financial wellbeing of themselves and their families,” said Rep. Jen Schultz (DFL – Duluth). “A workers’ compensation presumption for front line workers is an important protection as we continue to navigate this pandemic, and I’m grateful we were able to quickly pass this legislation this year.”
The previous law allowing for this presumption sunsetted on December 31, 2021, leaving 183,000 frontline workers without the guarantee of compensation in the event they contract COVID-19. The new bill would extend the presumption to Jan. 13, 2023. Since passage of the original law, 22,573 workers have received compensation under the presumption, totaling $20 million. During the lapsed time, over 2,000 frontline workers have contracted COVID-19.
Those workers impacted by this legislation include:
- Firefighters
- Peace and police officers
- Paramedics
- EMTs
- Health care providers, nurses or assistive employees in a health care, home care or long-term care setting who work with COVID-19 patients
- Nurses, health care workers, correctional officers or security counselors at correctional facilities
- Child care providers who are required to provide child care for the children of first responders and health care workers under executive orders
The Workers’ Compensation Advisory Council signed off on the extension on Tuesday. The Minnesota Senate approved the legislation earlier in the day, and following the House’s passage, the bill now heads to Governor Walz’s desk.