'Most acquaintances are dismissed without explanation': how our people survive without work in the USA
'10.04.2020'
Source: lady.tut.by
Three weeks ago by LADY.TUT.BY Alisa Ksenevich, who lives in New York, first made out unemployment benefits. Like 10 million Americans (so many have applied for unemployment benefits in the US in the last two weeks of March). Goldman Sachs predicts that America's unemployment rate could reach 15% by mid-2020.
The new unemployed are those who cannot work remotely: employees of hotels, boutiques, restaurants, airports, real estate agents, fitness trainers, cooks, photographers, hairdressers, fashion industry employees, singers, builders, cosmetologists ... Having accepted the new reality, they , like Alice, are looking for a "pants support strategy." Next is Alice’s first-person account.
“I’m sad to think that I bought a concert ticket for a hundred dollars a couple of weeks ago”
I'll start with myself. Until recently, I worked as a beautician in a network of medical spas in New York. We, like others that are not “vital” businesses, were quarantined on March 13. Two days later, we received a letter from the owner of the company, who, with a lyrical digression in his humble childhood in a small town, admitted: the situation is unprecedented. And he hopes that soon we will be able to return to work, but for now we should draw up unemployment benefits and remain optimistic.
Tom wrote down the items of expenses that the company continues to bear (rental of premises, equipment, insurance, etc.) and the steps that it intends to take to keep the business afloat.
However, most of my friends were fired without explanation.
By applying for unemployment benefits, I found out that my benefit would be $ 278 per week.
A girlfriend living in Belarus whistled: “Wow! So much!" Maybe this is a large sum for Minsk, but in New York, thousands of dollars will be enough only to pay for a room and utilities. The amount of unemployment benefits is determined individually, based on the declared annual income.
The maximum that a New Yorker can count on is $ 504 per week. Typically, benefits are paid no more than 26 weeks, but in a pandemic, this period was extended to 39 weeks and a three-month moratorium on evicting tenants was introduced.
More than five million New Yorkers rent housing - that's two-thirds. According to March online polls, 40% will not be able to pay the April rent, or only part of it will be able to pay.
On April 1150, one of the flatmates reported that she would not be able to pay for housing this month. Since the lease is drawn up for me, this becomes my problem. I don’t have any extra $ XNUMX, so I write to “landlord” with a request to show mercy and let the “rummeitka” be late with paying her part of the annuity indefinitely. He is getting into position.
After paying the rent, $ 160 remains in the account. I understand that you may have to borrow money from friends who are in a better financial position. I have never borrowed from people, only from banks.
I sadly think that I bought a ticket for a concert of Nick Cave for a hundred dollars three weeks ago. And instead of putting it off for a rainy day, she was furiously paying a loan for her education in the USA. Who knew that a "rainy day" would come so suddenly!
Finally, the blessed news of measures taken by the US government to support citizens appears. A one-time gratuitous aid in the amount of $ 1200 will be provided to all adult Americans with an income of less than $ 75 per year. Families with children will receive $ 500 for each child under the age of 17 years. People who have lost their jobs will be paid $ 600 per week in addition to the allowance.
The question is how soon these payments will go to the accounts. According to official information from the website of the New York Department of Labor, unemployment benefits are accrued within three days after the applicant is registered. I never received the money, although three weeks passed. The media write that due to the unprecedented number of “new unemployed”, the start of payments may be delayed for a period of “from several weeks to several months”.
On the subject: How to survive a job loss due to the coronavirus pandemic
“I envy those who are in trade unions, because now these people are financially protected”
Actress Emma Orelov says that all projects are now frozen, rescheduled for the fall or even next year.
- Between filming, I worked as a waitress in a restaurant and financially felt protected. With the introduction of quarantine, I simultaneously lost all sources of income. If I starred in a series whose production was suspended due to quarantine, or was part of the Broadway show team, I would be entitled to compensation. Unfortunately, this is not my case.
Sad times have come for people of art. I am busy recording videos for castings, reading scripts. The landlord told me and my apartment neighbors that we can pay the rent in part or not at all, but when the quarantine is canceled, we will have to pay the full amount.
Another acquaintance, Julia Zava, who is building an acting career in Los Angeles, is more optimistic:
- I lived in New York for a long time and I don’t know how I would have experienced this crisis there. In Los Angeles, you can take a walk along the ocean, go to the mountains ... Since the production is paused and there is no possibility to participate in the filming, I shifted the focus from acting to teaching: I conduct paid online classes in the study of "Hollywood English" for my Russian-speaking students actors. My motto is “Quarantine passes, knowledge remains.”
We learn English by playing scenes from movies, discussing films in English. Small groups - 2-3 people. I set the price at $ 15 per lesson; I use the free Zoom platform for lessons. This money is enough to pay rent - $ 1400 per month - and pressing expenses.
Belarusian Katerina Golovach is studying in New York as an architect and at the same time works as a bartender in a restaurant. In the first week of March, the restaurant was closed, and Katya applied for unemployment benefits.
- I am lucky that I am a member of the bartenders' union. We have a very high hourly wage. Therefore, union members hold on to their seats and work in bars for almost 80 years. I am entitled to a maximum unemployment benefit of $ 504 per week. Of course, this money is not enough. After paying the rent for April, I had $ 700 left in my account. My landlords - a very pleasant Italian couple - said that everyone understands and that "we will come up with something." I still have paid vacation days, days off and sick leave. In an extreme case, I use them.
On the subject: 'Bought toilet paper and vitamin C': a Russian-speaking immigrant spoke about quarantine in the United States
“We created a group chat and publish our nudes there”
A musician friend (who wished to remain anonymous) answers the question “how are you” with his usual optimism that he is doing well on all fronts. Only with finances is bad.
- I could apply for several funds, but I'm not sure that we are talking about any significant amounts. Rent, you know, 3200 dollars a month. And you need to pay it right now. There they have a bunch of requirements for grant applicants. You need to be not just a musician, but a musician who has been a union member for more than a year. Or a musician representing LGBT people. I am neither one nor the other.
I haven’t talked with the landlord yet, I am waiting for rumors about the new government law to “freeze” rental payments for three months. It would be great.
They tell me: try crowdfunding, try GoFundMe. But I'm not used to asking people for money. It would be strange, awkward, I don’t know ... It’s one thing to ask for money for a creative project, another thing is to accept donations, because there’s nothing to live on.
How am I entertaining myself? Five friends live in the neighborhood, we go to visit each other. I also have a group chat of 39 sex-positive people. We exchange jokes, ideas, opinions, post nude photos of ourselves. It distracts from heavy thoughts.
Fitness trainer Angela Savina, who lives with her husband in a rented apartment, has not yet decided how to make money in quarantine.
- I trained my clients in gyms, real human contact is important to me. Now you have to understand the intricacies of conducting workouts online. I work for myself, so the state’s help is not for me.
I don’t know how things will go with online training: many have now become unemployed, and those who continue to work prefer not to spend money because they don’t know what to expect from tomorrow. Now I train online for free. Customers find me through Instagram. This month, my husband and I paid in full - $ 1400, and then we will talk with the landlord and ask for concessions.
