Support for remote work capabilities more important than ever during pandemic
On August 7, Governor Tim Walz issued a proclamation congratulating 23 cities, townships and counties across Minnesota as telecommuter friendly communities and declared August 7, 2020, as Telecommuter Forward! Day in the State of Minnesota.
Among the 23 named was Cook County.
The communities commit to coordinating and partnering with broadband providers, realtors, economic development professionals, employers, employees, and other stakeholders to promote the availability of telecommuting options in their region.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has made clear how important it is for the state to support telecommuting capabilities,” said Governor Walz.
“We know that more Minnesotans than ever before are telecommuting for work,” said Steve Grove, Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). “As we help Minnesota’s economy recover from the pandemic, telecommuter- friendly policies add new opportunities for civic engagement and collaboration among Minnesota’s businesses, entrepreneurs and communities.”
The number of workers teleworking was already increasing prior to the pandemic but jumped to nearly 45 percent in recent months. Data suggests that more than 1 million Minnesotans are now doing at least some work remotely, accounting for well over one-third of Minnesota’s labor force.
Since 2014, DEED has awarded over $105 million in broadband infrastructure grants to fund 140 projects across Minnesota, with the goal of border to-border broadband access. Reliable high-speed internet access is recognized as essential for successful telecommuting. This certification expands upon border-to-border broadband efforts by providing a way for communities to promote themselves to Minnesotans interested in telecommuting and to businesses that support growing their telecommuting workforce.
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