ST PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota's frontline workers who made it through the state approval process will receive a check for $487 for serving their communities during the height of the COVID pandemic.
Gov. Tim Walz made the announcement Monday, saying checks will start going out Wednesday to the 1,025,655 people who filed applications that received a stamp of approval. The payment process is expected to continue through fall.
"I’m grateful for the work Minnesotans did to help people across our state stay healthy and safe through the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Walz in a released statement. “Frontline workers are an important part of the fabric of our state and helped us continue functioning during the pandemic. Now, I’m proud to say these workers will receive $487.45 in recognition from the State of Minnesota.”
The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry says approved applicants who chose to receive their bonus via direct deposit could see funds deposited within seven to 10 business days. Those who opted to receive the money via debit card will receive their bonus within three to four weeks.
Every person who applied will receive an email by Wednesday informing them of whether or not they were approved, and next steps, said Nicole Blissenbach, temporary commissioner of the state Department of Labor and Industry.
The money is subject to federal income tax but not state income tax, Blissenbach added.
The frontline worker bonuses comes from a law Governor Walz signed back in April, allocating $500 million to be split between people working specific jobs during the first part of the pandemic. Among the jobs eligible for a bonus were first responders, home and health care workers, daycare providers, and food service and retail workers, among others.
The state said nearly 1.2 million frontline workers applied for the frontline worker bonuses, some 400,000 more people than lawmakers first expected.
In August, more than 214,000 applications were denied, but those applicants had the chance to appeal.
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