Rep. Duane Sauke
Press Release
Minnesota House of Representatives
District 25B | (651) 296-9249 | rep.duane.sauke@house.mn
593 State Office Building, St. Paul, MN 55155
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Thomas Olsen
thomas.olsen@house.mn
(952) 807-3738
April 7, 2020
Rep. Sauke votes for COVID-19 Workers’ Compensation for Frontline Responders
St. Paul, MN - Today, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed legislation delivering workers’ compensation benefits to health care and public safety workers who contract COVID-19 in the line of duty. In particular, the legislation provides a presumption that if these workers contract COVID, they did so during the course of their employment and are covered by workers’ compensation. Rep. Duane Sauke (DFL – Rochester) voted in favor of the bill.
“In the days ahead, we will make every effort to live within the restrictions of the state under its budget and the constitution. We will respect the resources and liquidity of counties and cities across Minnesota, and try to respond to the needs present in citizen’s lives,” said Rep. Sauke. "No one can predict the circumstances or financial conditions of this future we see revealed before us. We will not be asked for more than we can bear, but we will walk together, and with each step, we will work to fulfill the hopes of the less fortunate. Know that solutions are present in diverse understandings and the ideas of those present, but are not limited by the judgment or biases of those in authority. We must wake up with an understanding of benevolence, and avoid the restrictions of assumed scarcity.”
A copy of the legislation can be found here, and a video recording of the House floor session can be found on the House Public Information YouTube page. The legislation is expected to be passed by the Minnesota Senate and signed by Governor Walz.
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