By Emily Woodbury
We asked you this question in the April 26th issue of our Sunday newsletter. By this time, it’s been a little more than a week, so please feel free to update your answer if it’s changed (we hope it hasn’t).
30 million Americans have filed unemployment claims since mid-March.
I’m writing this on May 1st. I feel fortunate to be writing this; I have a job, I paid my rent today, and I still have enough money to buy my groceries and survive. I know today is a hard day for those people who are currently unemployed; rent is due, bills are due and many people are struggling.
According to the poll above (if your answers don’t change), 6 percent of you have lost your job. More than a quarter of you, 27 percent, answered that more than one of your friends or relatives have lost their jobs, and another 20 percent of you say that you know one friend or relative who has. A very fortunate 47 percent of you don’t know anyone who is out of work.
We’re all in this together, which means we’re all here to help one another. If you’ve lost your job, or this is affecting you in any way, please feel free to share your story here.
My brother in law has been laid off at the hospital, due to low patient count, and he just bought a house. Yeah, not good.
My daughter quit her job at a hospital. She was cleaning rooms and preparing them for the next patient. Lack of PPE. Supervisor said ” if you don’t like it,you can quit. I fully support her actions. Why should someone have to work during thisCovid-19 crisis without proper protective equipment? I really feel sorry for those Dr’s and nurses that have to work in those conditions.
Many people are much better off being laid off. The employees at a friends restaurant asked him to keep it closed until Sept. Normally they make $500 – $600 weekly. State UE is $360 plus $600 from the feds, no gas to buy, fewer clothes,,,, what a racket.
Unfortunately those $600 payments per week ends on July 31st.
UNEMPLOYMENT (specifically):
Unless they get extended. Why in the world would anyone want to go back to work if they get an extra $600 on top of unemployment? I get it that unemployment can be less than what they were making but the $600 more than makes up for that. These individuals come out far ahead.
The plan for this was a failure to begin with. The Republicans and President should have rejected it from the beginning.
Failure on the American people to prepare for financial hardship is their fault. Living above their means. Spending every dime they make. Same with businesses.
I hope those can learn from this. But I doubt it. In the next crisis, they will be looking for more handouts just like beggars.
In many foreign countries, there are stipends for those unemployed. BUT, they don’t get a free ride. The State puts them in worker programs cleaning the streets, mowing the highways, etc. They wear designated unemployment uniforms. Personally, I would think that unemployment should be more like a loan or they enter one of these programs. The cost of unemployment is not free. Each time someone draws, guess who is paying that bill? And before you say the company is, that cost is passed on in the price of the goods you buy. Consider that.
A lot of people don’t make enough to just live much less than save.
It’s not about what you make. It’s about what you spend.
I have a son that barely makes ends meet because he says they pay him $13 an hour. I’ve tried to teach him but he REFUSES to listen. He rents a $900 a month apartment. Spends gobs for electric, cable, internet, and a cell phone (not a cheap plan either). He refuses to shop around his auto insurance rates. He refuses to follow a budget. He goes out and gets 2 dogs and 2 cats. What is that senseless spend? He goes out to eat. He goes out to entertainment venues. How many others are doing the same thing? I’ve showed him time and time again how to manage on what he has. It’s totally possible to live just fine on $13 an hour and less. It’s hopeless to try and get him to do anything different. So, yes. It can be done on less. I’ve proven that on paper. What are you spending on? Are you setting ANYTHING aside for a rainy day? Why are so many living above their means? Because they CHOOSE to. Life is a choice. If you live in an expensive city (NYC or LA), get out! YOU CAN’T AFFORD IT!
Very sad, my daughter lost hers, and can’t get in employment coverage in Kentucky