SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Yesterday, the Minnesota House approved legislation to replenish the state’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund and deliver $1,500 bonus checks for more than 600,000 frontline workers, including health care workers, first responders, child care providers, food service and retail workers, and more. Additionally, the bill makes hourly school employees like paraprofessionals, classroom assistants, bus drivers and others eligible for unemployment benefits in the summer.
Rep. Robert Bierman (DFL-Apple Valley) voted for the legislation and issued the following statement:
“I was glad to cast my vote in support of our frontline workers and small businesses yesterday.
We’ve been working in the House on resolving this issue since January. Hero pay was promised to frontline workers in last year’s budget agreement and yesterday’s vote reflects that the promise was kept. It’s also a way we can say thank you for their dedicated work during the darkest days of COVID-19.
Our small businesses worked hard to adapt to the pandemic and made significant sacrifices to keep their employees and the public safe. Replenishing the Unemployment Trust Fund was absolutely necessary and I’m glad we got it done. I look forward to seeing our Senate colleagues take swift action on the legislation to send it to the governor.”
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