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Sunday, May 10, 2020

Businesses Discover Employees Would Rather Stay Home And Collect Unemployment During Pandemic

Just as we warned would happen, US employers looking to reopen during the pandemic are finding that employees would rather sit home and collect unemployment than come back to work.

According to the Wall Street Journal, unemployment benefits for some workers are now paying more than their old jobs did - while for others, safety concerns or difficulty finding childcare amid mass school closures have kept them from returning to work.

That means reopening may not go as quickly or as smoothly as some elected officials and business owners had hoped.

Friday’s jobs report showed that U.S. employers cut 20.5 million jobs in April, or nearly all of the 22 million jobs added in the past decade.

The longer it takes to recover that lost employment, the more extended the economic downturn caused by the pandemic will be.

“That’s going to get in the way of any real recovery,” said Douglas Holtz-Eakin, president of American Action Forum and former director of the Congressional Budget Office. -Wall Street Journal

Thanks to the March CARES Act which boosted unemployment benefits by $600 per week, around half of all US workers stand to take in more money while laid off than they did before the pandemic - at least until that increase expires at the end of July.

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41 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah.. THAT was hard to see coming...why work when I get free stuff?

Anonymous said...

This was the goal.
Again we are faced with the silly option:

Was the government stupid?
Was the government criminal?

These people are not idiots. Stop letting them convince you they are stupid. They knew what they were doing. The purpose of the virus was to set the stage for a communist reset. Supply side destruction.

Anonymous said...

It is certain that there will be fewer jobs once this Coronavirus thing comes to an end. The problem for all these people that will choose to stay home is when their unemployment runs out, their once held job will have been taken by someone who does need to work.

Anonymous said...

Easy fix. If your employer calls you back and you refuse, you should be considered terminated for cause. Unemployment should stop at that point.

Anonymous said...

What do you expect, with the amount they're getting.

Anonymous said...

They may rather but it's not their choice and they better not forget it. As soon as their jobs open they have to go back. To not is a voluntary quit and any benefits will be immediately terminated.

Anonymous said...

I worked with people who should have been fired months ago for being lazy, now they are laid off and I'm still working. They are making more than me.

Anonymous said...

Patent answer that welfare does not work.

Anonymous said...

I say replace them with ppl that want to work and when that money expires they'll be screwed.. taking the short term money for a long term job. Rediculous

High Desert Dawg said...

Duh....my Dog coulda told ya this would happen! By closing the nation, we've also succeeded in taking away ANY desire for those who "can work" to pursue working! This "Social experiment" had helped to ruin this once productive country, and the left is now pushing for MORE, and I'm not too confident the right is gonna stand up against it!

Anonymous said...

Pretty sure you’ll lose benefits when your job re-opens, whether you return to work or not. Your HR will report to unemployment.

Anonymous said...

Damn right! I am making way more than I did slaving away for 40 hours. That extra $600 and my State benefits, I really hope this virus keeps us off thru the summer!

Anonymous said...

Agree 7:51 AM. Cut off benefits then watch them scramble for SNAP, and the public dole. They have so much to lose for being short sighted.

Anonymous said...

That's ridiculous. Be cool and stay in school.

Anonymous said...

9:44 is correct.
I was taken off the UI roll when my employer mistakenly checked-off a box that noted that she wanted us back to work and I refused.
It took a personal phone conversation between my employer and Unemployment to rectify the situation.
That said:
I want to work. I'm going a little stir crazy not working.
I have to make a tough (life) decision, though.
Before the shutdown I brought home $398 a week. After the layoff UI pays me $314 PLUS $600 a week.
Do I go back to work - work 40 hours a week and LOSE $684 a week?
I also live with and take care of my Grandfather (87 YO) in a small apartment, so my going back to work would put him at risk, possibly my bringing home the virus. (This, under the rules, would give me a "pass" if I turned down an offer to go back to work.)
What would you do?

Anonymous said...

Sure, who in their right mind would go back to work to earn less. The restaurants like yours will have to pay servers under the table. These are just facts and what all places are doing. They pay a few people to prove payroll like people that didn't qualify for unemployment and pay servers cash. They get unemployment and tips.

Anonymous said...

Go back to work where you belong

Anonymous said...

I'm still working, as my retail job has been considered essential. We had cut our normal hours through this whole virus mess and have slowly started opening a little longer. Now our higher ups want us to be open even longer and they can't seem to understand the fact we dont have the staff to do it, in fact we barely have the staff now. None of our part timers want to come back, I dont blame them sense they are making like 3 times or so what they did working. If corporate really want the ones working to stay than they need to increase our wages or at least offer overtime. All the essential workers deserve to be rewarded for working through this mess not the lazy buttholes at home that refuse to work.

Anonymous said...

I think they are also grossly overestimating the number of people who actually want to go back out into the retail world right now. My family doesn't, and neither do any friends that I've talked to. We are fine cooking for ourselves, spending time with our kids playing in the yard, watching old movies and new tv shows. Even if businesses reopen they may be surprised that MOST of us don't need them right now, and may have learned that we really don't need them that much in the future. If covid has been good for anything, I hope it has been to teach Americans that they don't have to spend so much money on trivial things, and that family is what is most important.

Anonymous said...

Fire them - then cut off their unemployment benefits...they chose laziness!

Anonymous said...

We laugh (sarcastically) but if given the choice of bringing home more than you would working - what you do?

Here on the shore when it comes to unemployment - its all in who you know. Right or wrong - its been that way for YEARS!

How do you think many in the outside (bartenders) hospitality industry during winter make it without heading south?

YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Can't Blame them !!! And Don't forget MOST have gotten NO $$$ Yet !!!

So , don't act like they Have it made, BECAUSE THEY DON'T !!!! FACT

Anonymous said...

10:44, I hope working with figures was not part of your job!

Anonymous said...

Yeah I have a friend getting paid 900 dollars a week to sit home. More money than I make working.

Anonymous said...

Who in their right mind wouldn't rather?

Anonymous said...

Businesses Discover Employees Would Rather Stay Home And Collect Unemployment During Pandemic

---------------

DUH!! I've been saying this all along.

Take the unemployment, welfare and food stamps/EBT away from this clown and see how quickly they will want to get back to work.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, our furloughed people are making the bucks, shopping online, doing home projects, have time to exercise. The people left at work are exhausted, not getting any more money and not allowed to take any paid time off. This sucks big time.

Anonymous said...

The rich got their bailout. So take that $600 enjoy it and don't feel bad about it. The elite are the ones that are sucking all the money dry, not the little people.

Anonymous said...

@11:53 you go back to work. @11:44 your Grandfather is what is important, bank your money and make sure he is ok.

Anonymous said...

If your employer offers your job back & you don’t accept, you’ll lose your $$ benefits. It’s not like to get to decide to return to work.

Anonymous said...

Alot ALOT have gotten NO $$$$$ in over a MONTH & a HALF , so

Don't COMPLAIN people are getting ALL that Govt $$$$$ !!!!!

I am one of those , so mind your OWN business !!!! Winers

Anonymous said...

Oh boy. You dolts dont realize that you are poor and broke yet the rich have you bashing your fellow poor and broke workers. Why the hell wouldba worker want to rush back and be exposed for the same cheap pay and lack of health insurance they had prior to COVID. You dolts actually believe these workers should be thankful their bosses choose money ovver life. How about this; if employers reopen, they should have to boost pay to the UE rate of pay and provide health insurance.

Anonymous said...

Enjoy it while it lasts folks !!! Because it won't be for much longer !!! Fact

Anonymous said...

Fighting the corrupt & incompetant Govt is > a FULL TIME JOB !!!!

Far worse trying to get any benefits, esp Unemployment than Working a
regular job !!!

Those of you WINERS & Jealous types , be GLAD YOU are not trying to
get Unemployment or Any other Govt help !!! Be Glad you got a JOB &
don't complain about those who don't !!! You could Loose yours someday !!
People Right Now, until June & beyond if necessary Should be HOME !!!

Anonymous said...

LIVES more important than RE-Opening toooo soooon !!! Common Sense !

The damn Govt can keep Printing more $$$$$$ as it is needed !!!!!
It should be TAX FREE too !!! They TAX us all to DEATH already !!!!

Unemployment & the 1200.00 & 600.00 > TAX FREE during Pandemic !!!

Anonymous said...

Businesses should pay better then !!!! Employees don't have the resources
they do , so don't Wine or complain !!!

It should be $20.00 hr MIN WAGE all 50 states by now !!!! FACT

Anonymous said...

People are being ORDERED to stay home by the Govt , so they are supposed
to stay Home !!! For the sake of LIVES , this is NOT a Game !!!!

Regardless of the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ !!!! Live or DIE , which do you
want ??? & Don't kill anyone else either by spreading it !!!!

Anonymous said...

Restaurants screw their employees the most > Tax tips / pay far less than
Min Wage everywhere else is required to Pay !!!! WRONG !!!

Fix this 2020 !!!! ALL businesses should HAVE to pay MIN WAGE Period !

Anonymous said...

10:47 and 8:31 and 9:27 are all the same guy.
The word is spelled "whiners".
Get a life. Or at least get a dictionary.

Anonymous said...

Yes, we Broken People with No money & dreaming of that Govt Money
are Living All so good on all that money , that Never Came !!!

It is so much Fun staying Home & dreaming of all that money , we Don't have

Anonymous said...

Local Business is just worried their Employees might find a Better Job while
they have the time to look for one, while at home !!!
Better start paying & Treating them Better !! Hint Hint