Presumptive COVID-19 Benefits Have Ended In Minnesota

The COVID-19 presumption that allowed certain first responders and healthcare workers to collect workers’ compensation benefits if they contracted COVID-19 because it was presumed that they likely came in contact with the disease in their line of work no longer exists in Minnesota.

As we mentioned on a previous blog, Minnesota Gov. Time Walz had issued an extension of the presumptive COVID-19 benefits to run through January 13th, 2023. As we got closer to that date and we learned more about the virus, the governor opted not to again extend that deadline, meaning the COVID-19 presumption for frontline workers no longer applies to Minnesota employees.

What Was The COVID-19 Presumption?

As we alluded to in the introduction, the COVID-19 presumption allowed for certain employees to collect workers’ compensation benefits if they contracted the virus because there was a high likelihood that they came in contact with a COVID-19 positive person in their line of work. Normally it is extremely hard to prove how you contracted a sickness, because even if you may have been exposed at work, who’s to say you didn’t contract the sickness at the grocery store or from a family member?

It’s very difficult to clearly prove how you became sick, but because of the nature of COVID-19 and the need to protect those on the front lines, Minnesota lawmakers passed the presumptive benefit, which states that it could be presumed that individuals in certain lines of work contracted COVID-19 at work, and therefore they were automatically eligible for compensation.

Workers who were eligible for presumptive COVID-19 benefits in Minnesota included:

Paramedics and EMS personnel
Nurses and healthcare workers
Firefighters
Police and correctional officers
Certain childcare workers

So while we seem to have a better handle over COVID-19, it has also become harder to collect compensation if you contract the disease and are forced to quarantine and miss time from work. That said, you can still certainly file for benefits if you believe you were exposed to COVID-19 on the job. Dean and the team at Margolis Law Firm would be more than happy to help you build a strong claim and get you the compensation you deserve.

If you have questions about pursuing a COVID-19-related injury claim, or you need help with a different type of workers’ compensation claim, let us be an ally in your corner. For more information, or for help navigating the workers’ compensation system, reach out to Margolis Law Firm today at (952) 230-2700.