Minnesota will start winnowing pile of pandemic 'hero pay' applications

More than 1 million Minnesotans sought a state payment for frontline pandemic work

Jul 25, 20220

Aaron Lavinsky, Star Tribune count

Health workers cared for a patient with COVID-19 at M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center in September 2021.

The window for pandemic frontline workers to seek cash from Minnesota's hero pay program closed Friday, and officials will soon start winnowing the vast list of applicants.

The state received nearly 1.1 million applications as of Wednesday. Minnesotans had until Friday afternoon to submit their requests, and a Department of Labor and Industry spokesperson expected application submissions to climb in the final days.

Legislators estimated each person would get around $750 if 667,000 people qualify for the payments. That amount could be significantly smaller if a large portion of the people who sent in applications are eligible.

https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-will-start-winnowing-pile-of-pandemic-hero-pay-applications/600192508/