With unanimous bipartisan support, the Minnesota Senate today passed legislation that would extend the Covid presumption for workers that have contracted COVID while on the job, making this the first bill passed by the Senate in the 2022 Legislative Session.

This important language authored by Senator Jeff Howe (R-Rockville) revives and reinstates the workers’ compensation COVID-19 presumption statute. This law, previously enacted in 2020, stated that certain employees who contracted COVID-19 were presumed to have an “occupational disease” covered by the Minnesota workers’ compensation law. Since the original provision expired on December 31 of 2021, today’s language now postpones the sunset date to January 13, 2023.

“This is an important bill for workers in our State, and it’s only fitting that this bill was the first of the year to be passed off the Senate Floor,” said Sen. Howe. “Many workers throughout our state have continued showing up to work, despite the unique challenges presented by Covid. Naturally, this has led to workers contracting the virus while on the job. Not only do workers support this bill, but it also has gained wide support throughout stakeholders—the Workers’ Compensation Council, insurance providers, and stakeholders in the business and labor industries are all in agreeance on this matter. Extending the sunset date is the right thing to do so our workers and businesses can be adequately protected.”

It’s the opinion of the Walz Administration that this statute cannot be retroactively applied. Therefore, the language will go into effect the day the bill is signed and will extend into the next legislative session in an effort to provide the next Legislature an opportunity to act if the presumption is still needed.