1.1 Million Applications Sent In For Minnesota's Frontline Worker Pay

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesotans sent in 1.1 million applications for frontline worker pay before the 45-day application period ended last week. Eligible workers can receive up to $750 under the law signed this spring.

Applications will now be processed and verified before the 15-day appeal period begins on Aug. 15 for those whose application has been denied.

Applications can be denied for five reasons:

• The application was a duplicate
• The applicant exceeds the unemployment insurance benefit threshold
• The applicant exceeds the gross income threshold
• The applicant's employment eligibility could not be verified
• The applicant's identity could not be verified

Before the application period began, state officials estimated that about 667,000 frontline workers in Minnesota would be eligible for a special, one-time payment in recognition of their contribution to the state during the pandemic.

In April, Gov. Tim Walz signed Chapter 50, SF 2677 into law. In addition to providing bonus checks to frontline workers, the bill will also replenish the state's unemployment trust fund and provide tax relief to small business owners.

"This is great progress for all Minnesotans," Walz said in a statement. "Our small businesses and frontline workers deserve this relief after these past two years. This bill is both a way to thank and invest in our small business and frontline workers. I am proud to have bipartisan support for this bill and I’m grateful for the legislators who made this a priority."

People in the following industries could qualify for the bonus checks:

• Long-term care and home care
• Health care
• Emergency response
• Public health
• Social service
• Regulatory service
• Courts and corrections
• Child care
• Food service
• Retail
• Temporary shelters and hotels
• Building services
• Public transit
• Ground and air transportation services
• Manufacturing
• Vocational rehabilitation

In order to qualify, workers must also have:

• Been employed at least 120 hours in Minnesota in one or more frontline sectors between March 15, 2020, and June 30, 2021
  • Were not able to telework due to the nature of the individual’s work during this time
  • Worked in close proximity to people outside of the individual’s household during this time
• Not have received an unemployment insurance benefit payment for more than 20 weeks on a cumulative basis for weeks between March 15, 2020, and June 26, 2021.
• Must meet the income requirements for at least one of the 2020 or 2021 tax years
  • Workers with direct COVID-19 patient care responsibilities must have had an adjusted gross income of less than $350,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly or less than $175,000 for other filers
  • For workers in occupations without direct COVID-19 patient care responsibilities, the adjusted gross income limit is $185,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly, or $85,000 for another filer