Several bills have been proposed in both the Minnesota House and Senate to modify worker’s compensation benefits for Healthcare workers and first responders but were never voted on as there was no agreement. Over the past several days, some have even called for Governor Tim Walz to issue another an executive order on the issue. Still, others like Senator Jeff Howe (R-Rockville) are advocating for patience, opting to utilize Minnesota’s current process to create the best solution.

“Protecting Minnesota’s first responders and healthcare professionals is the right thing to do, as they are our front-line defense in the pandemic,” said Senator Howe. “While we agree with the overall concept of expanding workers compensation to ensure there are no gaps in coverage for these folks, we believe in the process and want to work towards a legislative solution that hears from all stakeholders and produces better results than another executive order.”

In Minnesota, proposals to modify the Workers’ Compensation program have been thoroughly vetted by the Workers Compensation Advisory Council (WCAC), which is a statutory council that is charged with analyzing and make recommendations on changes to Workers’ Compensation law. The Council consists of representatives from both business and labor, and any proposed changes need to be supported by a majority of both business and labor members.

This process has worked well in the past to ensure that changes made do not have adverse, unintended consequences to the workers’ compensation system. At this point, the WCAC has not agreed on this proposal, but members are working around the clock to find a solution.

“Representative Tim O’Driscoll and I have been working closely with stakeholders to find a solution and are close to reaching an agreement,” continued Senator Howe. “We all want emergency workers to be safe and protected during this pandemic and appreciate the work they are doing to keep us safe.”