Frontline Worker pay FAQ

Publish Date

What industries are eligible?

  1. long-term care and home care;
  2. health care;
  3. emergency responders;
  4. public health, social service, and regulatory service;
  5. courts and corrections;
  6. child care;
  7. schools, including charter schools, state schools, and higher education;
  8. food service, including production, processing, preparation, sale, and delivery;
  9. retail, including sales, fulfillment, distribution, and delivery;
  10. temporary shelters and hotels;
  11. building services, including maintenance, janitorial, and security;
  12. public transit;
  13. ground and air transportation services;
  14. manufacturing; and
  15. vocational rehabilitation

What situation did you have to work in?

To qualify, a worker needed to do the following:

  • Worked for 120 hours in Minnesota in one or more frontline sectors between March 15, 2020 through June 30, 2021.
  • Were not able to telework due to the nature of the work.
  • Had to work in close proximity to individuals outside of the individual’s household
  • Meet income requirements (below)
  • Did not receive an unemployment insurance benefit payment or serve a nonpayable week for more than 20 weeks on a cumulative basis for weeks between March 15, 2020, and June 26, 2021.

Is there an income limit?

There are income limits.

If an individual worked directly with COVID-19 patient care responsibilities, married couples filing a joint return may make up to $350,000 or for all other filers, up to $185,000.

For all other filers the limit is $185,000 for married couples filing jointly, or $85,000 for all other filers.