The Minnesota Senate today took swift action to protect workers who contract COVID-19 while working on the front lines of the pandemic by making them eligible for workers’ compensation benefits without having to prove they were infected on the job. Under the legislation, workers in certain job classifications are presumed to have an occupational disease if they contract COVID-19, thereby automatically making them eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.
“While we are asking most people to stay home and avoid interaction with others, we are asking these workers to do the exact opposite,” said Sen. Roger Chamberlain (R-Lino Lakes). “We are asking them to put themselves in harm’s way to keep us safe. They deserve confidence that if they end up getting sick, they won’t have to jump through a bunch of extra hoops just to be taken care of. I am glad we were able to make that happen today.”
The legislation covers the following workers:
- Licensed peace officers
- Firefighters
- Paramedics
- Nurses
- Healthcare workers
- Corrections officers and security counselors employed by the state or a political subdivision at a corrections, detention, or secure treatment facility
- Emergency medical technicians
- Healthcare providers, nurses, and assistive employees in a health care, home care, or long-term care setting
- Workers who are required to provide childcare to first responders and health care workers under the governor’s previous executive orders.