COVID ‘Hero Pay’ Bonuses Begin Going Out Wednesday

(KDLM/MNN) – COVID “hero pay” bonuses of just under 500 dollars ($487.45) begin going out today to just over one million Minnesota front-line workers. Officials say those choosing direct deposit should receive a payment within seven to 10 business days; those who chose payment via debit card will be mailed their bonus within three to four weeks.

“Final payments are not taxable at the state level, however, the payments are taxable at the federal level,” says Nichole Blissenback of the Department of Labor and Industry. “We couldn’t change that through this legislation.”

Blissenbach also notes that everyone who applied for a hero bonus should receive an e-mail by the end of the day today informing them of the final status of their application. About 1.2 million Minnesotans applied. State officials initially denied about 214,000 of those claims, but about 50,000 were re-instated on appeal.