Minnesota House Passes Frontline Bonus Checks

(KNSI) – The Minnesota House has passed a bill that would provide bonus checks of $1500 to at least 667,000 frontline workers.

According to a press release, the bill defines a frontline worker as someone working in long-term and home care, health care, emergency responders, public health, social service and regulatory services, courts and corrections, child care, public schools, including charter schools, state schools and higher education, food service, retail, temporary shelters and hotels, building services, public transit, ground and air transportation, manufacturing, and vocational rehabilitation.

To receive a bonus check, the bill states workers must have been employed in one of the frontline sectors for at least 120 hours, was not able to work remotely, meet income restrictions, and did not collect unemployment for more than 20 weeks in the period between March 15th of 2020 to June 30th of 2021.

State Representative Dan Wolgamott, from St. Cloud, was a co-author of the bill. In a press release issued as the bill passed the house, he said “I’m proud to have the backs of 667,000 frontline workers by passing our proposal to send them the bonus checks they earned. These workers and their families deserve compensation for risking their health and safety to keep our state functioning throughout the pandemic.”

The bill has been sent to the Minnesota Senate Jobs and Economic Growth Finance and Policy Committee.

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