Anticipated application dates

The State of MN is continuing to work on the Frontline Worker Pay application system. They anticipate the 45-day application period to be open June 8 through July 22, 2022. These dates are subject to change.

Am I eligible for Frontline Worker Pay?

Eligibility criteria for Frontline Worker Pay are set forth in the Frontline Worker Pay law. You can review the criteria and guidance at frontlinepay.mn.gov. If you are unsure if you are eligible, you should review the law and guidance and truthfully fill in and submit the application during the 45-day application period.

UPDATED! Information you should have ready for the application process

The application will remain open for 45 calendar days. The anticipated application period will be open from Wednesday, June 8, through Friday, July 22, 2022. These dates are subject to change. If an application is denied, applicants have 15 days from notice of the denial to appeal the denial. All denials will be communicated by email correspondence.

All applications will move through the process at the same time and payments will be forwarded for processing together.

The applicant should be prepared to certify that they meet all eligibility requirements. The application will request the following information.

• Name
• Address
• Phone Number
• Personal Email address [Here is how you can set up an email account for free]
• Date of birth
• Social Security number or Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN)
• Employer name
• Employer address
• Employer phone number
• Employer email address
• Dates of relevant employment (120 qualifying hours worked between 3/15/2020 and 6/30/2021 2020 and 2021 income (individually unless filed taxes jointly)
• Job title
• Whether worker provided direct COVID patient or resident care
• Any weeks of unemployment benefits received between 3/15/2020 to 6/30/2021
• Bank information (routing and account numbers and whether checking or savings)

The application will use knowledge-based authentication (KBA) to prove the applicant’s identity. The KBA process will require basic information factors, such as name, address and date of birth, which will be used to compile knowledge questions. If KBA questions cannot be generated, the applicant will be asked to verify their identification by scanning an image of an eligible identifying document: passport, I.D. card, driver’s license or residence permit.

The applicant will also be required to choose a form of payment in the event they are deemed eligible for Frontline Worker Pay. The applicant can choose between a direct deposit via an ACH transfer or a prepaid debit card. If the applicant prefers an ACH transfer, they will need to provide their bank routing number and account number.

Frequently asked questions

The frequently asked questions will also be translated into Hmong, Somali and Spanish and made available soon.

Applications and assistance

When the system is ready to accept applications, eligible workers will have 45 days to apply for Frontline Worker Pay. The State of MN is hoping to have the application ready by mid-June, for the 45-day application period to begin, with payments anticipated in early fall.

Additional information will be added to this page as it is developed including frequently asked questions, informational handouts in multiple languages and other useful resources. After the application is ready, a call center and help desk will also be available to assist applicants in multiple languages.

Appeals

Those whose applications are denied may appeal the decision within 15 days of notice of denial.

Payments

After processing and verification of the applications, as well as a 15-day period for denied applicants to contest those decisions, the final list of eligible applicants will be determined. Each eligible applicant will be provided with an equal payment, not to exceed $1,500. All applications will move through the process at the same time and payments will be forwarded for processing together.

To be eligible for Frontline Worker Pay, the applicant:

• must have been employed at least 120 hours in Minnesota in one or more frontline sectors between March 15, 2020, and June 30, 2021.
• for the hours worked during this time period the applicant –
• was not able to telework due to the nature of the individual’s work and
• worked in close proximity to people outside of the individual’s household;
• must meet the income requirements for at least one year between Dec. 31, 2019, and Jan. 1, 2022 –
• workers with direct COVID-19 patient care responsibilities must have had an adjusted gross income of less than $350,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly, or less than $175,000 for other filers and
• for workers in occupations without direct COVID-19 patient care responsibilities, the adjusted gross income limit is $185,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly, or $85,000 for other filers; and
• must not have received an unemployment insurance benefit payment for more than 20 weeks on a cumulative basis for weeks between March 15, 2020, and June 26, 2021 (Minnesota Statutes, section 268.085, subdivision 1, clause 6).

$750 frontline worker check payments

After processing and verification of the applications, as well as a 15-day period for denied applicants to contest those decisions, the final list of eligible applicants will be determined. Each eligible applicant will be provided with an equal payment, not to exceed $1,500. All applications will move through the process at the same time and payments will be forwarded for processing together.

The frontline sectors include:

• long-term care and home care;
• health care;
• emergency responders;
• public health, social service, and regulatory service;
• courts and corrections;
• child care;
• schools, including charter schools, state schools and higher education;
• food service, including production, processing, preparation, sale and delivery;
• retail, including sales, fulfillment, distribution and delivery;
• temporary shelters and hotels;
• building services, including maintenance, janitorial and security;
• public transit;
• ground and air transportation services;
• manufacturing; and
• vocational rehabilitation.

UFCW Local 663 is the union that represents frontline workers in: retail, retail grocery, meatpacking and food processing, health care, emergency responders, and manufacturing in MN. Over 17,000 frontline workers strong stood up for all frontline workers to receive the $750 frontline worker checks as a thank you for our work during the beginning part of the COVID-19 pandemic.

*information reposted from State of MN website for frontline worker pay and will be updated on an urgent basis*