$487.45 COVID-19 recognition payments for Minnesota’s essential workers now available

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has announced that 1,025,655 frontline workers in the state will receive a payment of $487.45 in recognition of their work during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an article released by the Department of Labor and Industry Minnesota on October 4, 2022.

The payments will be made by state officials starting Wednesday, October 5, and will continue throughout the fall. The Frontline Worker Pay program, which was funded by a $500 million bill signed into law by Governor Walz on April 29 and administered by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, accepted online applications from June 8 to July 22.

Those who were denied had the opportunity to file an appeal from August 16 to 31. Approved applicants who chose direct deposit will receive their funds within 7–10 business days, while those who chose debit card payment will receive their funds in the mail within 3–4 weeks.

The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, with the assistance of several other state agencies, including the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, the Minnesota Department of Revenue, and Minnesota IT Services, as well as an application management vendor, administered the program.

The payments are intended to recognize the contributions and sacrifices of frontline workers, including those in healthcare, education, and essential services, during the pandemic.

According to The Daily Journal on October 3, 2022, Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan praised the work of frontline workers and thanked them for their contributions to the state. The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry will release a report on the program to the legislature no later than 90 days after the end of payment processing.