There’s limited help right now for those us who are out of work due to our company’s closures or contractions.
The federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act provides up to two weeks of pay if you can’t work due to being quarantined and two weeks at 2/3 of your pay to care for a loved one who’s quarantined, or to care for a child under 18 whose school has closed due to the virus.
In the first instance the max allowable benefit is $5,110, and for the second situation the total benefit is $2,000. It also provides up to an additional 10 weeks of paid expanded family and medical leave at two-thirds the employee’s regular pay where an employee is unable to work due to a bona fide need for leave to care for a child whose school or child care provider is closed for COVID-19-related reasons. Still, pretty slim pickings.
Similar to the $1000 check we may all get. Can they spare it?
Trillions for tax relief for corporations and the wealthy and bailouts for airlines and the cruise ships but us workers are left out in the cold. And NY’s extended benefits do not apply to healthy employees forced to stay home from work but who aren’t actually quarantined.
Yet, discrimination for taking any protected leave is still illegal.