Working Minnesotans deserve investments to protect their families from hardship and job loss. The Work and Opportunity Act (WOA) will expand wage replacement benefits to undocumented essential workers, mirroring unemployment benefits. The bill asks for a general appropriation to create a separate, third-party-run fund to benefit workers who are already paying into the unemployment system. To qualify, applicants must satisfy the same requirements as workers who apply for traditional unemployment insurance. However, this bill will not be UI but a separate program.