Benefits, bonuses and an ‘action plan’: Help may be in store for laid-off Minnesota federal workers

Democratic lawmakers at the Capitol have introduced a trio of bills aimed at protecting Minnesota workers from the Trump administration’s tariffs and sweeping job cuts.

One bill would afford unemployment benefits to federal workers who resigned after receiving the infamous “Fork in the Road” email last winter and extend payments for an additional 13 weeks.

President Donald Trump and Department of Government Efficiency chief Elon Musk, who led the job cuts, “have instituted a regime of chaos, of corruption, of retribution that has caused real harm in the lives of workers and in our communities,” said Rep. Emma Greenman, DFL-Minneapolis, at a Thursday news conference.

Livelihoods, she added, have been “threatened by a stroke of the pen.”

Prior to the job cuts, there were just over 18,000 federal employees in Minnesota. They include forest rangers, small business loan experts, scientists and housing specialists. A significant number work for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs throughout the state.

However, it’s unclear how many federal employees in Minnesota who received the Fork email resigned.

Typically, workers who resign from their jobs do not qualify for unemployment benefits. But the bill would extend benefits for those who accepted the resignation offer between Jan. 27 and Feb. 13, a period that would cover the Fork fallout.

A second bill would provide relocation bonuses of up to $10,000 for military veterans who have been fired by the Trump administration and move to Minnesota for a job. The measure sets aside $6 million for the program, $50,000 of which would be used to promote it.

“Minnesota relies on our veteran workforce to keep our state functioning, and we could use even more of these excellent workers,” said Rep. Matt Norris, DFL-Blaine.

When lawmakers were asked how the state can afford such a program amid a budget crunch, Greenman replied that the budget “should reflect our values and protect our workers.”

The final bill would create an “action plan” studying the effect of Trump’s tariffs on the cost of basic goods and on businesses, consumers and workers. The report is due in February.

Dan Marshall, co-owner of Mischief Toy Store in St. Paul, said the tariffs have made him “crazy with anxiety. I think it’s the same for any small business owner right now.” He said a $10 toy will cost $25 under the Trump tariffs.

“I’m just a lowly toy store owner; I don’t know how to survive this,” Marshall said. “I don’t know whether to order toys for Christmas, I don’t know ... when they will ship or how much they’ll cost. How do I plan for this?”

“They’re literally trying to destroy our economy,” he said.

Asked about the bills on Thursday, House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, said the issue “hasn’t really come to the leadership level.

“It’s something we’re aware of, but I think we need to focus more on the fact that we have a looming deficit over our budget because of what we spent over the last two years,” she said.