Today, the Minnesota Legislature unanimously passed legislation that provides occupational protections for certain workers who contract COVID-19 on the job. The bill, House File 4537, specifies that certain frontline workers, including health care workers, police officers, paramedics, corrections officers, and others are eligible for expedited worker’s compensation benefits for health issues that may arise due to the coronavirus.
“As this unprecedented public health emergency continues to unfold, this is a necessary bill to make absolutely sure the workers on the front lines are protected. Our doctors, nurses, paramedics, firefighters, law enforcement officers, and the many others whose lives are spent keeping us safe need to know they are protected in the event they contract the coronavirus,” said Senator David Senjem (R-Rochester). “We worked with organized labor and business representatives, as well as the governor’s administration, to find an agreement and get this legislation passed. This reflects our commitment to doing what’s right on behalf of the people we represent.”
The legislation guarantees that people in high-risk jobs who contract COVID-19 while performing their occupational duties are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits with a lower burden of having to prove the infection was a direct result of their job. Those Individuals with confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 will be presumed to have an occupational disease, thereby making them eligible for workers’ compensation benefits under state law. Most licensed peace officers, firefighters, paramedics, nurses, health care workers, correction officers, workers at secure state facilities, workers at long-term care facilities, and child care providers are among the classes of workers included in the bill.
The bill was signed into law on Tuesday evening.
Senator David Senjem represents Dodge and Olmsted counties in the Minnesota Senate. He serves as chair of the Senate Capital Investment Committee and is a former majority leader and minority leader.