Today is the first day of April. A lot has happened in the the 9 days since Governor Inslee issued his "stay home" order closing non-essential businesses to halt the spread of coronavirus. Here's a quick rundown of the key developments for workers.
Some key things to know
It’s the first of the month, but you will not face eviction if you live in Washington state and you cannot pay the rent — the governor has instituted a statewide eviction moratorium. Several cities (including Seattle) have also banned late fees.
Washington state has also waived the “waiting week” for unemployment, so you can now begin to collect benefits without having to wait a week after losing your job. The state has also waived the job search requirements normally associated with collecting unemployment.
The latest federal stimulus package includes a substantial expansion of unemployment benefits. Most workers who receive unemployment will see an additional $600/week, and independent contractors will newly be able to receive some benefits as well.
However, these additional federal benefits are not being paid out just yet: the state is currently setting up systems, and expects to be ready to roll in “a matter of weeks”. We are keeping a close eye and will let you know as soon as we know more about timing. The state has some good info on unemployment on their website here.
Separately, the one-time federal stimulus checks of $1,200 to most workers will take a while to arrive — estimates are that it will be “months” before the federal government is able to move this money.
Unfortunately, Congress excluded people with certain immigration statuses from all of these benefits. We are looking at approaches to help fill that gap at the state & local level — nobody should be excluded from receiving relief in this crisis.
We have developed a resource guide on our website — check it out and spread the word. If you have questions, send a message to coronavirusinfo@workingwa.org
One thing you can do
Washington's “stay at home” order allowed “essential” work to continue, including grocery stores, healthcare, and agriculture, as well as gig restaurant, grocery, and package delivery apps like Instacart, DoorDash, Postmates, and Uber Eats.
This work is officially “essential”. But far too many of the people doing this essential work are not getting the essential protections every worker needs: 1) Comprehensive sick leave that actually lets workers take time off to protect their health, 2) Hazard pay of $5 per delivery or per hour, 3) Safety supplies like sanitizer and gloves, 4) Compensation for lost income for all workers, including immigrant workers.
That’s why Instacart workers walked out on strike and other workers are taking action across the country too. Join us in calling on our elected officials to require that any company which is allowed to operate as an essential business during the crisis must provide workers these essential protections.
Send a message to your elected officials:
Key reads
The New York Times ran an op-ed making the case that people who hire housecleaners should commit to continue paying them, even if they can’t work during the stay-at-home order.
One thousand immigrant meatpacking workers walked off the job over health & safety concerns after 10 co-workers were diagnosed with COVID-19.
A group of Seattle restaurant owners have offered some interesting proposals for relief for workers & businesses in the hard-hit industry.
Macy’s, Kohl’s, The Gap, and numerous other retail chains have recently furloughed hundreds of thousands of workers across the country.
Instacart grocery delivery workers went on strike for hazard pay, safety supplies, and expanded sick leave.
Healthcare workers and grocery store workers are also calling for hazard pay for their work during the coronavirus crisis.
Questions? Comments?
Send them our way: coronavirusinfo@workingwa.org