You probably know this, but worth saying just in case: you should look into unemployment assistance. I believe that the CARES Act applies in case of reduced employment, and the $600/wk benefit is always given in full.
It’s worth keeping in mind that unemployment benefits are around half or less than what one was making. I know someone who’s job was paying him about $600 every two weeks. COVID-19 hit and they furloughed him. His unemployment benefit is about $150/week.
In my state, unemployment maxes out at $400/week, not half my salary. So with CARES, I would get an additional $600 for a total of $1k/week. This doesn't last indefinitely, only 26 weeks. Also, unemployment isn't immediate; in my state (prior to the huge backlog) it could take up to 21 days to get paid. Now I assume it's longer.
So someone on unemployment is only "making" up to $26K, then they're SOL.
If you are a service worker and your hours have been cut you need to file for unemployment immediately. You should be able to receive partial unemployment for the missed hours.
> If your employer has reduced your hours or shut down operations due to COVID-19, you can file an Unemployment Insurance (UI) claim. UI provides partial wage replacement benefit payments to workers who lose their job or have their hours reduced, through no fault of their own. Workers who are temporarily unemployed due to COVID-19 and expected to return to work with their employer within a few weeks are not required to actively seek work each week. However, they must remain able and available and ready to work during their unemployment for each week of benefits claimed and meet all other eligibility criteria. Eligible individuals can receive benefits that range from $40-$450 per week.
> The Governor’s Executive Order waives the one-week unpaid waiting period, so you can collect UI benefits for the first week you are out of work. If you are eligible, the EDD processes and issues payments within a few weeks of receiving a claim.
I wasn’t clear. The employees have returned to work. They are working less than full time hours in order to show diminished earnings and receive the $600 unemployment boost. They are receiving 80-90% of their normal wages from their employer and receiving unemployment benefits in addition to that.
Several states have expanded their unemployment program to not require you lose employment entirely to receive benefits. Check if your state has done so.
Have you applied for unemployment? State benefits may not fully pay the rent but should help. You'll likely need to supply proof that you're looking for work but that sounds like your plan anyway.
This probably won't be too far off, if the current level of unemployment benefits holds. Just the $600 a week on top of state benefits comes out to $15/hr.
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