Minnesota and Vermont Classified Grocery Clerks as Emergency Workers - Should More States?

What's the story?

• Grocery clerks in Minnesota and Vermont are now considered emergency personnel, meaning all efforts must be made to provide them with free child care so they can do their jobs.

• The directive from Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) came as part of an order for “Care for Children of Families of Emergency Workers,” which directs closed schools to continue to provide care for children of emergency personnel who are “critical to the response of COVID-19.” 

—Josh Herman