State Employees 'Unlikely' to Return to Work Wednesday

The overarching message to Minnesotans is “be ready.”

That comes from Gov. Mark Dayton’s chief of staff, Tina Smith, and Minnesota Management and Budget commissioner Jim Schowalter, who sounded cautious optimism in a conference call with media on Tuesday.

“There are a lot of assumptions right now,” Schowalter said. “But it is important to remind everyone that normal operations will not resume immediately. The bills must pass both bodies and then be signed into law by the governor.”

Schowalter said that while the timing and enactment of the bills is uncertain, once Dayton signs them money will become available to the respective agencies the following day.

It’s “unlikely,” that state workers would go back to their jobs on Wednesday, Smith said, noting the logistics of passing the legislation and contacting workers.

Each agency will have its own process for resuming operations, Schowalter said, and state employees will be given 24 hours notice to return to work.

Smith and Schowalter encouraged Minnesotans to check out the Be Ready website, created by the state to deliver information.

“We are moving forward with two things right now: urgency and common sense,” Smith said.

“The goal is to restart the government as quickly as we can and get Minnesotans back to work,” Smith said.