Update from Rep. Tabke: Frontline Workers’ Comp

Our health care and public safety professionals put their physical health on the line when they go to work to continue to keep our state healthy and safe. Today in the Minnesota Legislature, we passed a bipartisan bill to ensure that these Minnesotans won’t have to potentially sacrifice their financial health as well. 

House File 4537 delivers workers’ compensation benefits to these frontline responders in the event that they contract COVID-19. These are vulnerable, exposed jobs, and we need to support the professions that in turn support our state; the nurses, EMTs, firefighters, police officers, child care workers, and corrections officers.

This is far from the end of this conversation. There remain too many Minnesotans that are also working to keep Minnesota strong that don’t yet have the support they deserve, and we’ll be continuing to fight for them. 

How we voted for the bill today is one for the history books. In accordance with recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Health, the majority of legislators voted remotely. This required some rule changes while still following the Minnesota Constitution. The result was a large group of legislators voting in St. Paul, but spread out in a parking lot. It’s one of the many ways the Minnesota Legislature is adapting to COVID-19 while continuing our work.

Committees will continue to virtually meet tomorrow before we adjourn for our Easter and Passover break. In the meantime, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to reach out to our office. We’ll be continuing our daily Facebook Live updates at 4pm on the State Representative Brad Tabke Facebook page. 

Brad Tabke, State Representative | Rep.Brad.Tabke@house.mn

Eric Petersen, Legislative Assistant | Eric.Petersen@house.mn