Lawmaker on Deal to get Checks To Frontline Workers, Pay Back Unemployment Insurance

(KNSI) – Lawmakers in St. Paul have reached a deal to pay back Minnesota’s unemployment insurance trust fund and get bonuses to frontline workers.

The deal includes $2.7 billion to replenish the trust fund and pay back a debt to the federal government for jobless aid and $500 million for frontline worker bonus checks. St. Cloud area Representative Dan Walgamott talked about the different workers who will get a check.

“These are our health care workers. Our police officers. Our firefighters. Our teachers. Our grocery store workers. They are the people who really went through hell during the pandemic to keep our state going forward and get us through the darkest days of the pandemic and to where we’re at now.”

Around 667,000 workers will be eligible for a $750 bonus check. Wolgamott says people will apply for the checks through the department of labor and industry.

“There’ll be an online application. There will be a phone line. Employers will be required to post notice of as we’re still working out the exact details of that. But that is part of the agreement, to make sure that the frontline workers are able to get that money as quickly and as smoothly as possible.”

Officials say they hope to have the bill for Governor Walz to sign on Friday to avoid a Saturday deadline for higher tax bills on employers.

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