by zedthehead
I manage a Subway. I make $10.25/hr. I have been there nearly every day since all this started. I have stressed myself out, crying, daily. I am NOT ESSENTIAL yet I cannot quit. I must wait for my greedy franchisee to decide he will close our store before I can file for unemployment. We are down to 1 staff per shift for distancing purposes; we have about 1/3-1/2 our normal business but when one person is responsible for all tasks it is extremely hard to keep up, and I often leave an hour and a half after close. From the time I walk in until the time I leave, I am in panic “GET SHIT DONE!” mode. It is extremely stressful.
Meanwhile, people who were laid off several weeks ago will not only get $600 a week BONUS to their unemployment, IT WILL BE RETROACTIVE BACK TO MARCH.
So people who haven’t been out there risking their health and sanity EVERY DAY, get like $2k in back support, PLUS the $1200 stimulus check, while those of us INVOLUNTARILY required to risk ourselves every damn day get a stimulus check and constant, “Stay safe!” from jackasses who just gotta get that meatball sub.
My boyfriend is a retail AM and the same is true for him. He has morons coming in and wandering around out of boredom and he has to go in everyday and risk exposure from these idiots.
I am so angry at this injustice, I am about ready to explode.
Edit: to be clear, I am stoked that unemployment benefits are being boosted. I am just also maddeningly enraged by the idea that still-working individuals- those of us at highest risk- aren’t getting any extra support beyond a single stimmy. It’s BONKERS.
Disclaimer: This is a guest post and it doesn’t necessarily represent the views of IWB.