On Thursday, the Minnesota Senate acted on a proposal that would make it easier for frontline workers (paramedics, firefighters, nurses, and police officers) to qualify for worker’s compensation insurance. Typically, before the legislature acts on changes to worker’s compensation law a board of union and business leaders must come to an agreement. While labor leaders pushed to remove the donut hole for these workers by making the legislation retroactive to January 1st, business leaders opposed this measure.
Senate legislators honored the agreement made by the board by passing it without amendments. However, DFLers are going to introduce legislation in the coming days to close the donut hole and ensure workers who fall into it are offered the same terms and benefits as those who become ill with COVID-19 after this legislation is signed into law. (HF 1203)
