A couple I know are hairstylists with their own business that is like a spa. They are both against the idea of reopening any time soon. She sent me a Facebook post by a barber/friend in Georgia who isn’t reopening no matter what the state says.
I texted a friend to see how he’s holding up. He’s a bartender and his gf, who he lives with, is a receptionist. They’ve both been out of work since the start. I asked if they needed any financial help, which turned awkward. It seems that between unemployment compensations and an extra boost payment they’re both receiving, they are doing very well and he’s embarrassed.
Only two people close to me have been effected. My brother-in-law is an electrician for a large plumbing and heating company. Of the three electricians on staff, he is the only one working; however, it’s emergency calls only. Luckily, being the only one, he is still averaging 30-40 hours/week, but he’s now on call every weekend.
A friend was working FT. Then they all had one shift removed, couldn’t use vacation to pay for that day. Just deal with 80% pay. Then it became, stay home, but we’ll still pay you 80%. Because of the partial pay, not eligible for unemployment, and she’s raising two teenagers and has an unable-to-work partner in her house. That one shift was financially important. That stay at home/ 80% pay lasted half a week and they were all laid off. The employer was threatening them, suggesting they do not apply for unemployment if they ever wanted to be hired back. She did anyways. It took a bit of messing with, due to the partial work/ partial pay, but she’s finally receiving both the state and federal unemployment.
Mine and youngest sons employer (same) is doing a job share layoff thing. Volunteers accepted, lowest seniority required. My turn was to start next Monday for a month. Yesterday we were notified that next week is 3 days of work and all layoffs after that are canceled. This week from Monday to Thurs orders tripled. Nobody in my circle outside of work is missing any hours or pay. Appears that my home remodel projects are going to stay in the garage now until I can get a vacation later this summer.
Boyfriend just got notice today that he’s laid off. He’s the diesel mechanic I mentioned in my OP. He works for a national truck leasing chain and their workload has been dwindling - but they’re essential enough to stay open for the trucking customers they do have left. He’s the newest guy in the shop so he had to go. Maybe for a month.
If he does get the $600/week on top of 50% of his pay, he’ll be making more on unemployment than if he was working. But that’s if Ohio gets everything running. I’ve heard a lot of glitches. I feel for the state IT department right now…
**PoppaSan **what kind of work do you do that orders tripled like that?
I’m a freelance camera operator and have been for 40 years.
My permalance contract was due to end April 2. We were shut down 2.5 weeks before that with a promise of continued pay. That promise was honored. That said, I have zero and I mean ZERO chances of finding employment now. All areas of production are shut down. Local news is almost completely robotic already and has been pared to the bone now because of COVID-19. Every other avenue of production is shut down.
For the first time in my life I had to file for Unemployment.
Before COVID-19, I had more than a 50% chance of being offered a new contract in early July. Now that they’re out of the studios and completely remote produced, nobody has any idea if work will come back.
At 58, I’m a bit fucked. And very sad about it. Always loved what I do an had no plans ( or way to ) retire any time soon.
We live in the epicenter of the epicenter: Queens County, NYC, NY.
Just when people are hanging out in the open-air cafés in early July, the second wave of this thing is going to be ramping up.
September/ October is going to be a genuine fuckfest in this city.
:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad: