The weekly numbers for first-time unemployment recipients, released on August 6 for the week prior, remained above 1 million people, which is where they have been for, a staggering, twenty weeks. The announcement of Senator Kamala Harris (D) as Joe Biden’s vice-presidential running mate brings hope to the fight for unemployment relief, especially if the Biden/Harris ticket wins the November election. Although talks have stalled on S.4442, the Senate bill intended “to provide Pandemic Unemployment Assistance to individuals with mixed income sources, and for other purposes”, Senator Harris has been instrumental in attempts to help the millions of Americans affected by the crisis find some relief. For information on Senator Harris’ voting record in Congress, click here.
In this week’s installment of Personal Perspectives on the Unemployment Benefits Crisis, (contributing writer) David Nelson will share the realities of some people directly impacted by the government’s repeated mishandling of this situation. The problem is increasingly frustrating as Donald Trump fakes out recipients by promising money and then making receipt of any additional funding conditional on state involvement. Meanwhile, more and more families must lean on their faith and positive outlooks to remain steadfast...and fed.
HOPE OR HOAX?
By David Nelson
California, Sacramento (August 14, 2020)
Last weekend, we saw, what is hopefully, a temporary breakdown in the
negotiations between members of Congress toward a second stimulus package.
Federal unemployment, or the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), of $600 expired on July 26, and although this date has come and gone, the need for some type of relief shows no signs of going away anytime soon.
As of July 24, The United States has approximately 30 million people who have
filed unemployment claims. Those who were getting the PUA, along with
whatever amount they were receiving from their state government, are feeling
the impact of going back to only the state-level funding, for the time being.
In the state of California, the maximum amount per week is $450, which equates
to a near sixty percent reduction, while working families wait for lawmakers to
strike a new agreement.
Conversations with people in various states, regarding their personal
experiences with the Unemployment Claims System, suggest that California is
only one of several states where families have been negatively impacted by the
crisis. They have shared their stories with me, with the condition of anonymity,
and I found these conversations a mix of multiple emotions including sadness,
frustration, and in some cases, a sense of helplessness after following all the rules
and still not making any forward gains.
One of these individuals, let’s call her Lisa, shared with me that she had submitted
her claim several times electronically and was repeatedly denied, though she was
not given any reason(s) for this decision. Add that to the fact that the significant
volume of claims made across California completely overloaded the state’s phone
and computer systems, so contacting EDD for help was exceedingly difficult. Given this process began for her in late March, and we are now in August, it has
been quite stressful. The field in which she worked was severely impacted by
COVID, and the agencies that should be set up to help people like her did not
deliver. She has had to make concessions in her own life to bridge the economic
gap that became a part of her daily routine, through no fault of her own. Unfair is
only one term that comes immediately to mind.
To say that I am impressed by her inner strength is an understatement. I am equally astonished by her acknowledgement that life can deal any of us a difficult hand, but we decide how to play it. Despite a crisis that is out of her control, her overall outlook during this challenging time is one of hope and positivity. I have heard the phrase “Tough Times do not last, but Tough People do”. It seems fair to say that Lisa is living proof of this and talking with her was extremely rewarding for me.
Another individual with whom I spoke, let’s call her Paula, told me of her experience in the state of Georgia when she was laid off, and unlike the process in California, her former job primarily handled getting a claim filed on her behalf. However, once this was done, she had similar issues reaching anyone at the Georgia Department of Labor, either by phone or email, when she had questions about the timely payment of her bi-weekly benefit amount.
Paula has opted to pursue additional higher learning opportunities to help her enter a new career path, where she will be effectively self-employed. Her desire is to establish independence and make decisions for herself that were previously made for her-and not always in her best interest. Much like her bi-coastal counterpart, Lisa, she seems to be taking this as a positive step in her life. Clearly, her glass appears half-full.
What will come of the government’s here today, gone tomorrow negotiations on
behalf of the working class remains anybody’s guess. Mr. Trump has issued some
executive orders after the talks stalled, but whether he truly has the authority to
make good on them seems to be raising questions in both parties. His idea of
The Federal Government extending the benefit to $400, which would actually be $300, as the claimant’s state of residence would be responsible for the remaining $100, has been met with more questions. It may be that if the state government cannot afford to do this, the claimant could get zero.
With estimates of up to 40 million Americans facing potential foreclosure or
eviction, as the moratorium on these options has also ended, working people face additional obstacles, with less resources in place to help them manage even the most basic of needs for their families. Where do we go from here? I guess only time will tell, but what I do believe to be certain is that We Are All In This Together, and the time for action is now.
David Nelson began writing through his position as a Labor Union Representative. He is the father of two Marines and is a Sacramento, California native. David enjoys helping people get social justice and a better quality of life. Find David on Facebook at facebook.com/david.nelson.5473
Catch up on the rest of the articles in the series! Unemployment in the COVID Era, No Plan Means No Relief
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