|
Dear Friends,
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the legislature’s daily operations have been altered. I wanted to send a quick update to let you know I will continue working for our community and urge you to continue contacting me with questions or concerns.
The House is formally still in session while the state addresses the pressing public health issues surrounding COVID-19. However, meetings and floor sessions will only take place on an on-call basis and when needed until at least April 14. Alternate means of working allow legislators to respond to citizens’ needs, while fully complying with Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) guidelines including social distancing, limiting large gatherings, telework, and increased cleaning measures.
I encourage you to take advantage of MDH hotlines, including a public line 651-201-3920 and a line for questions specifically related to schools or childcare 651-297-1304. Online resources are also available at the links below to keep you up to date:
In addition, early this morning, the legislature unanimously approved nearly $200 million in additional funding to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill provides $50 million to the Public Health Response Contingency Account for providers, ambulance services, health care clinics, hospitals, and long term care facilities. It also allocates $150 million to the newly-created Health Care Response Fund for grants to providers for costs necessary for COVID-19 response.
As you know, things are developing quickly and changing every day. On Sunday, Governor Walz announced that all Minnesota schools would close. Yesterday, he announced the mandatory closure of restaurants, bars, and other public places where crowds congregate.
This outbreak is also coming with significant consequences for workers and business owners. The governor has issued an executive order to ensure workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic have full access to unemployment benefits. According to the Minnesota Unemployment Insurance Program, the executive order makes applicants eligible for unemployment insurance benefits if:
- A healthcare professional or health authority recommended or ordered them to avoid contact with others.
- They have been ordered not to come to work due to an outbreak of a communicable disease.
- They have received notification from a school district, daycare, or other childcare provider that either classes are canceled or the applicant’s ordinary childcare is unavailable (provided the applicant made reasonable effort to obtain other childcare and requested time off or other accommodation from the employer and no reasonable accommodation was available).
This action also eliminates the one week waiting period to make sure applicants have access to unemployment benefits as soon as possible, and assures business owners that benefits paid as a result of COVID-19 will not increase their future unemployment tax rate. If your employment has been affected, you are encouraged to apply for unemployment benefits online. Visit www.uimn.org to check eligibility and learn more.
These are uncharted waters we are moving through. It's important to remember the needs of others at this time. Please keep this in mind when you are in grocery stores and other places and purchase only what you need for your family for a week or so at a time. If you are able to help a neighbor with childcare so they can go to work, do that. If you can afford to eat out, order food from a local restaurant to keep revenue coming through their doors. We will get through this together.
Please stay in communication and let me know if there is any way I can assist in addressing this challenge. You can reach me at 651-296-4231 or rep.peggy.scott@house.mn.
Sincerely,
|
