Permanently include teachers in the classification of essential workers.

 

Allows all teachers to be included in the definition of an essential worker and allocate extra protections, pay, and

emergency funds to those in the profession.

 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Minnesota classified public school workers as temporary essential workers (source linked

below), but this classification ended in fall of 2022. As any student knows, teachers are vital for daily life of

school-aged children, especially those without stable homes. Clearly, the teachers that shape many young lives should be

allowed to be treated as the essential workers that they are by the state.

https://www.house.mn.gov/comm/docs/d2WUYWIPMkaiN8vd8WwdZA.pdf

 

Teacher- A public school staff member whose main responsibility is the caretaking and instruction of children ages 3-18

attending the staff member’s public school. This includes para-professionals, as they assist with caretaking and

instruction in the school building.

Emergency Leave- Paid leave time provided for workers that is not fully compensated through workers' compensation

benefits, or unemployment insurance benefits, or guaranteed to essential workers through other paid sick leave benefits

under state law or federal law, or an executive order related to emergency diseases.

Essential Worker- A public or private worker who is vital to the functioning of basic society and/or vital to immediate

economic stability. Some examples of essential workers include firefighters, police officers, and hospital workers.

 

All funding for paperwork and other state expenses from the bill will be drawn from the Permanent School Fund, as it has

grown 107% in the last decade and consistently has a surplus. View the fund at this link:

https://mn.gov/school-trust-lands/beneficiaries/revenue-distribution/

 

In the event that the government, organizations, or other parties affiliated with public school teachers fail to

recognize them as essential workers, they will be fined a stackable amount of $12,000 a year. The funds coming from the

fines will be put back into the Permanent School Fund.

 

This bill, if passed, will go into effect on July 1, 2026.