Has the Federal Emergency Unemployment Insurance contributed to vacant jobs being unfulfilled? Depending upon who you talk to, the response will be different. One thing we do know, unemployment benefits are temporary and does not provide long term stability compared to employment. Millions of jobs are left unfilled, and here are a few reasons why:
- Unsafe working conditions – employees fear returning to work due to safety requirements. Employees have experienced demotions and terminations due to risking exposure of the coronavirus, and unfair treatment. The Coronavirus Is Causing More Employment Lawsuits (forbes.com)
- Lack of affordable child care – employees that have been terminated or caring for a child because of school closure may not be able to afford child care. COVID-19 making it even harder for working parents to find child care (usatoday.com)
- Career employment changes – the pandemic has shaped individual career choices as some have chosen to start businesses with stimulus checks, return to school, and not choose occupations that reduce quality of life. The future of work after COVID-19 | McKinsey
The federal minimum wage has remained at $7.25 per hour since 2009. That rate has not kept up with the pace of inflation while corporation revenue increase drastically. An employee at a Missouri hospital received a $6 coupon after surviving COVID. The CEO of the firm that owns the hospital received $30 million. CEOs of public U.S. firms earn 320 times as much as workers. Even some CEOS say the gap is too big. (nbcnews.com)
In this capitalistic society, money does not trickle from the bottom upward. It doesn’t even trickle down from the top in some cases. COVID has opened the eyes of the poor like nothing ever seen in this lifetime. Income, housing, health care, civil rights, and education are all issues that let America know, you are either sitting at the table, or you are part of the menu. Time for all of us to bring our own chairs, pull up, and break bread together in the spirit of reconciliation. Here’s how we can achieve that and close the wealth gap:
- Restructure the tax code
- Baby Bonds & Guaranteed Income
- Change the zoning laws
- Become an individual or organizational member of the National Coalition for the Homeless
See also a previous post on the state governors who are ending federal unemployment benefits early for their residents. Email Kelvin Lassiter, Policy Analyst at klassiter@nationalhomeless.org for more details.
