Covfefe-19 The 10th Part: Might As Well Reject No Shirt, No Shoes While You're At It

[jericho]

I work for NYSDOL doing UI benefits. The tax option is there, I’ve been finding it’s 50-50. The max here is 604 or 4 days working in order to not be eligible. If you have a part time job and work three days, you only get 1/3 of your daily entitlement. If you work 2 days but make over 504 gross, you don’t get any for that week. Since COVID, I’ve taken claims from people who haven’t worked in three years because they now get the $600.

 

[WeAreNDHockey]

Re: Covfefe-19 The 10th Part: Might As Well Reject No Shirt, No Shoes While You're At

The reason for a flat $600 dollar bump was that based on the average unemployment check each week, adding $600 would round up the average person's benefit to just about 100% of the average before taxes paycheck. It could have been left up to each state to figure out how much was needed, but we can't handle the claims now anyway. If you added in the additional burden of doing the proper recalculations, no one would be getting their benefit yet. As for getting their benefit, all 50 states were reporting delays in getting the money to people because their systems had been overwhelmed like never before.

As I said in my original response to Rube, yes, some people are making more on unemployment now than they would have, but most won't. It is also the least important thing to worry about in all of this mess. Some states pay a criminally small benefit (before taxes in some places, the MAX is under $250) and other people make a criminally small wage when they DO work. Minnesota has a fairly high maximum benefit (I think it is almost double what WI pays) so there is a good chance that some in MN might bring home a few bucks more than they were getting while still at work. But that is not true for a lot of states.

Also, the nature of this unemployment is not such that many people will be able to find suitable work since so many things are shut down at once. I think our unemployment safety net and in many places ridiculously low minimum wage are just more problems the coronavirus has revealed. I'm fairly sure we will get busy kicking those cans down the road once we get past all the dying.

 

[Deutsche Gopher Fan]

So like a real-life version of the musical Rent?

To be fair lots of those kids in Seattle have parents who are executives and are used to corporate welfare.

“I learned it by watching you, dad.”

 

[LynahFan]

Re: Covfefe-19 The 10th Part: Might As Well Reject No Shirt, No Shoes While You're At

I think that's a very accurate assessment.

I have a half dozen close friends here in Minnesota who have been temporarily laid off due to Covid. All of them are receiving compensation each week in excess of their normal paycheck, but not by huge numbers. Maybe a couple hundred per week. It's all due to the $600.

To a person they look at it as good fortune. None of them will refuse to go back to work when called, but all of them say a little prayer of thanks each Monday when it extends for one more week.

Gosh. I hope this pandemic hasn't made anyone's life too easy. I think that's about 454,587th on the list of things I worry about. Sheesh.

 

[Kepler]

Re: Covfefe-19 The 10th Part: Might As Well Reject No Shirt, No Shoes While You're At

Gosh. I hope this pandemic hasn't made anyone's life too easy. I think that's about 454,587th on the list of things I worry about. Sheesh.

I don't think you appreciate just how much the fortunate suffer when the chasm between them and the underprivileged shrinks from gargantuan to merely enormous.

If the Poors aren't constantly whipped by the flail of poverty, how will they ever develop the moral character necessary to inherit wealth?

 

[Deutsche Gopher Fan]

Re: Covfefe-19 The 10th Part: Might As Well Reject No Shirt, No Shoes While You're At

Classy

“ President Trump wrote “FAKE NEWS IS NOT ESSENTIAL” in a retweet of a video of Open New York protesters berating a journalist, with one seen carrying a sign reading “Hang Fauci, Hang Gates.”

 

[UCBadger]

Re: Covfefe-19 The 10th Part: Might As Well Reject No Shirt, No Shoes While You're At

Newton, Massachusetts. Population 88,904

Location of the Boston Marathon's famous Heartbreak Hill. Made up of 13 villages, one of which is Chestnut Hill--home to Boston College.

 

[rufus]

Re: Covfefe-19 The 10th Part: Might As Well Reject No Shirt, No Shoes While You're At

Thousands dying every day, here’s what our president just tweeted

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">LOSER! <a href="https://t.co/p5imhMJqS1">pic.twitter.com/p5imhMJqS1</a></p>— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1262396333064892416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Donnie knows deep down that he is the real loser. The only way for him to purge that idea from his mind is to attack. Project. Bully. The only way to make himself feel better about his own pitiful existence.

 

[Kepler]

Re: Covfefe-19 The 10th Part: Might As Well Reject No Shirt, No Shoes While You're At

Donnie knows deep down that he is the real loser. The only way for him to purge that idea from his mind is to attack. Project. Bully. The only way to make himself feel better about his own pitiful existence.

Obviously. He's the coward who calls people coward and the moron who calls people moron.

Note he also calls people pedophile and rapist.

 

[rufus]

Re: Covfefe-19 The 10th Part: Might As Well Reject No Shirt, No Shoes While You're At

The extra $600 was put in there to encourage people to stay at home, they could pay their rent and buy food, and not have to be worried, or forced to be out and about knocking on doors looking for work. In the middle of a pandemic.

And, it's only for 8 weeks, so.....

Little Lyndsey whining about people sitting home and not working, well, what's Congress been doing the last two months? What's big corp? They're still gettin' paid. Helluva lot more than the barista at Starbucks.

I don't begrudge those people that extra $600 at all. It just demonstrates how woefully underpaid most of Americas workforce is. You got a problem, then protest about that.

 

[SJHovey]

Re: Covfefe-19 The 10th Part: Might As Well Reject No Shirt, No Shoes While You're At

The extra $600 was put in there to encourage people to stay at home, they could pay their rent and buy food, and not have to be worried, or forced to be out and about knocking on doors looking for work. In the middle of a pandemic.

And, it's only for 8 weeks, so.....

Little Lyndsey whining about people sitting home and not working, well, what's Congress been doing the last two months? What's big corp? They're still gettin' paid. Helluva lot more than the barista at Starbucks.

I don't begrudge those people that extra $600 at all. It just demonstrates how woefully underpaid most of Americas workforce is. You got a problem, then protest about that.

I don't think it's limited to 8 weeks. I think that for those eligible, it went back to the early part of April, and will run until about the end of July, IIRC.

 

[rufus]

Re: Covfefe-19 The 10th Part: Might As Well Reject No Shirt, No Shoes While You're At

Far as I know, it's 8 weeks.

 

[geezer]

Re: Covfefe-19 The 10th Part: Might As Well Reject No Shirt, No Shoes While You're At

It could have been left up to each state to figure out how much was needed, but we can't handle the claims now anyway. If you added in the additional burden of doing the proper recalculations, no one would be getting their benefit yet.

This (state governments apparently not being able to figure 4th grade math) has been the biggest obstacle to suitable stimulus payments. In the UP, which thankfully is finally being recognized as "not Detroit" and is reopening this Friday, my bro-in-law has been unable to entice his drivers to come back to work because they're all earning full wages to stay on the couch and watch soaps. The one-size-fits every place and every occupation has been the most serious blunder of the recovery stimulus funding. It's not rocket science. These are people who never have to interact with anyone else, and who live and work in a county with zero cases having been discovered, who are being paid by taxpayers in areas with the virus to sit at home.
What these drivers don't realize is that next fall when the federal teat dries up, someone else will have happily accepted their job and they'll be out of luck. Maybe WalMart will be hiring greeters.

 

[Spartanforlife4]

Re: Covfefe-19 The 10th Part: Might As Well Reject No Shirt, No Shoes While You're At

Michigan is partially reopening part of northern Michigan and the entire UP on Friday for Memorial Day Weekend. The main thing is that bars and restaurants can be open to 50% capacity.

 

[geezer]

Re: Covfefe-19 The 10th Part: Might As Well Reject No Shirt, No Shoes While You're At

I don't think it's limited to 8 weeks. I think that for those eligible, it went back to the early part of April, and will run until about the end of July, IIRC.

Yeah, it's just four months to start, but there's already talk of extending it until fall for the whole country in case someone in Los Angeles or somewhere is still sick in July.

 

[Handyman]

Re: Covfefe-19 The 10th Part: Might As Well Reject No Shirt, No Shoes While You're At

Seconding what Handyman said. In Illinois, they ask you if you want it taxed, or to make it up next April. I get why the option is there (if you're hurting for the cash, the couple extra bucks helps), but most everyone opts to have taxes taken out on each check.

Also in Illinois, you can work part time while on unemployment, but that amount is deducted from your weekly claim, and you cannot exceed 50% of your unemployment insurance, otherwise you will be taken off unemployment.

So for those on unemployment who do want to work, unless its cash under the table, they're stuck in a rut until they find work that will pay them similarly to the job they were laid off from. Or at least pays more than the UI does.


I always thought of unemployment as a good program, mostly because family and family friends were seasonal laborers, Teamsters, etc. where unemployment got them through the winters/down times.

I've always given suspicious side eye to those who maximised their unemployment withdrawals then cried disability and moved on to milking that system.

In Minnesota you can make up to $1 less than what your payout is and still get a prorated amount. And no that amount is not $1, you still end up getting like 25%. The logic is kind of ridiculous.

Honestly, if you are single and in your late 20s without a house payment or car payment being an on call bartender (like I was) or server is about the best deal you can get. You are always eligible for unemployment and if you know the cracks in the system you can really coast for a good long while.

edit: There is an hours restriction as well. It is like 25 hours of work nullifies your claim.

 

[Handyman]

Re: Covfefe-19 The 10th Part: Might As Well Reject No Shirt, No Shoes While You're At

I think in Minnesota when you apply, they ask you if you want taxes withheld or not. You have to answer that question to proceed, I believe.

This is correct.

 

[jericho]

Far as I know, it's 8 weeks.

It went into effect for the week beginning March 30, and ends the week ending July 26.

 

[Handyman]

Re: Covfefe-19 The 10th Part: Might As Well Reject No Shirt, No Shoes While You're At

Far as I know, it's 8 weeks.

Its more than 8 weeks. My mom got 4 weeks backdated when she re-upped her benefits and is still getting it weeks later. As far as I can tell you get it til July 31st.

My parents, for the first time in decades, are flush with cash between her unemployment and their Social Security. Plus my dad works part time.

 

[jerphisch]

Re: Covfefe-19 The 10th Part: Might As Well Reject No Shirt, No Shoes While You're At

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">****ing Republicans. <a href="https://t.co/1GrqFXYBb7">pic.twitter.com/1GrqFXYBb7</a></p>— Alex Cole (@acnewsitics) <a href="https://twitter.com/acnewsitics/status/1262439059994992643?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>