Oakdale Woman Narrowly Misses Shutdown Layoff

Threatened with being laid off from her state job in the weeks leading up to a Minnesota state government shutdown, Oakdale resident Katie Wrich stocked up on diaper cream coupons, and avoided getting a haircut to save money, she said.

She had been told that she would lose her 1-year-old’s spot in daycare if she had to quit temporarily due to a layoff and her husband—who’s pursing his master’s degree—wouldn’t have been able to take summer classes so that he could graduate in December.

Fortunately for her, the physical therapist at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Hastings was deemed critical—something she learned around 10 a.m. Thursday morning—and therefore not laid off in the Minnesota state government shutdown.

“It was the biggest relief I’ve had in a very long time,” she said. “It’s nice for my family, but I know personally families that are really, really going to be in trouble because they were laid off.”

Wrich was at the Minnesota State Capitol Thursday night protesting the impending government shutdown in support of her fellow workers at the veterans home and in other state jobs that would be laid off.

About 23,000 state workers are now laid off due to the shutdown, according to AFSCME Council 5. According to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 336 state employees live in Oakdale.

“State employees provide such invaluable services to the citizens of this state, and it is truly appalling that this has turned into what I equate with a temper tantrum on not compromising,” she said of the budget impasse. “I raised my kid to share and make compromises and that’s not happening.”