Today I was told to stay home by my company, without pay, though I am a full-time worker.
My job is staffing events, and my partner and I both work events. I have had my hours cut this week due to event cancellations — and so has my partner. Today I was told to stay home by my company, without pay, though I am a full-time worker. We have no other income and no family support. My partner did just get a four-hour minimum for one shift, which is great, but we depend on my income mostly. This whole situation is pretty scary since we have been fighting to improve our credit for a long time. Even one late car payment can be devastating to people trying to look into getting a loan. We have passionately supported basic income this past year, and this situation seems like a kickstart to that.
- Jenny, event staff
Had a total of four customers in our regularly busy downtown bar on a weekend night this weekend, so bartenders barely made anything.
At the venue where I work, we’ve cut the number of servers per shift in half due to low demand. Had a total of four customers in our regularly busy downtown bar on a weekend night this weekend, so bartenders barely made anything. I also had a weeklong stage management/light design gig canceled for the end of April because the school has gone into a six-week closure and the performances will likely no longer happen. I’m self-employed, and we didn’t yet have a contract so I don’t have any kind of cancellation fee in place. So that’s probably a $1000 gig gone for me.
- Faith, production manager
I tapped out all of my sick & safe time and PTO last week, and I’m contemplating whether or not I will go back to work this week even though my symptoms haven’t entirely cleared up.
I work for an office catering company. The majority of employees at my company are part-time because of the nature of the work. Our business is decimated. A majority of our clients are exactly the kind of big tech companies that can afford to tell everyone to work from home for the month. Numbers I was quoted were that *last* Monday we had 12 orders, whereas normally we have 60. It might be worse by this point, but I’ve been home for the past week and a half sick with something else. Internal message boards make it sound like some of the newer employees are moving on — they’ve possibly been told to do so, but if so, I’m not privy.
I was told that as one of the more senior and capable employees, they are going to do everything they can to keep giving us hours, but they cannot guarantee a certain number a week — which previously we would’ve been able to request. I tapped out all of my sick & safe time and PTO last week, and I’m contemplating whether or not I will go back to work this week even though my symptoms haven’t entirely cleared up. I’m looking at various other gig opportunities, such as warehouse work and grocery delivery.
- Linzi, office caterer
My partner’s work — setting up and building booths for trade shows — has all been cancelled for the month.
My work made some positive changes, but my partner’s work — setting up and building booths for trade shows — has all been cancelled for the month. Since he works events, I’m not sure how any work from home could be done. I’m getting top surgery this month and will be out of work for two weeks, and my paid medical leave probably won’t process and pay out until late April or May, so it’s definitely stressful.
- Dan
I filed for temporary unemployment benefits, but for now I don’t have any reliable source of income.
I work for a catering company and I’ve been called off work for the past week already and don’t have the sick time for this. Still holding out some hope that I’ll get some hours over the weekend, but it’s not looking good. I was already stretched thin financially due to having to take some unexpected time off to help my mom who lives in Portland. I work on TaskRabbit too, but not getting much in the way of job offers there. I filed for temporary unemployment benefits, but for now I don’t have any reliable source of income.
- Corrie, caterer/gig worker
Every event that I had scheduled cancelled. No work, no pay.
Every event that I had scheduled cancelled. No work, no pay. I’m going to a resume workshop on Thursday and just going from there.
- Duane, caterer
If it goes into April, then I will definitely be concerned about being able to make ends meet.
Already had $845 in loss of income from cancelled gigs in the Seattle/Tacoma area, with potential for more. Currently I’m not concerned with making ends meet as I always have an emergency fund budgeted, but I still worry about how long this pandemic will force cancellations of events. If it goes into April, then I will definitely be concerned about being able to make ends meet. Every penny is vital as a freelancer, and every penny has impact as part of my operating budget. I do in-home petsitting as well through Rover and my own business, so luckily I don’t have any rent payments as I’m able to get housing that way, but I am absolutely concerned that my upcoming gigs in petsitting will be cancelled because people won’t want to travel. Currently I have some money coming in, but tomorrow that could totally change.
- Carrie, freelance musician/pet sitter
Between trainings being rescheduled or cancelled, I’ve lost $10k+ in gross revenue.
I’m a consultant/trainer. So as trainings are rescheduled or cancelled, it affects my business a lot. Luckily, I do consulting too, which pays less, but something. This was the month I was waiting for as it was the first busy month after the holiday, and one of the last before the summer slump. As a result, between trainings being rescheduled or cancelled, I’ve lost $10k+ in gross revenue.
- ChrisTiana, consultant/trainer
If I wasn’t being supported by my boyfriend and parents, I’d be in trouble.
My hours are dependent on people signing up for workshops; we’ve had a big drop in attendance. If I wasn’t being supported by my boyfriend and parents, I’d be in trouble. He’s our breadwinner, and the money I make goes to paying my student loans. He is a mechanical engineer in the aviation industry, and right now his company is one of the few of its kind still working on contracts. They’re in a niche anyway, but it’s worrying.
- Morgen, workshop assistant
They canceled or postponed all shows, meaning all the shifts I have are no longer happening.
I have lost my main source of income, which was working at a venue. They canceled or postponed all shows, meaning all the shifts I have are no longer happening. I’m now trying to find another job to get by until the ban is lifted. I’m genuinely super worried about my livelihood and ability to make rent.
- Vincent, event staff
Each day brings the potential for more impact as school districts, symphonic organizations, and others make decisions.
I’m a freelance pianist who works with many organizations in the South Sound. Due to the coronavirus precautions and mandates, every day brings new cancellations and loss. All my ensemble rehearsals and courses are cancelled at PLU, where I work as an hourly employee. My Symphony Tacoma rehearsals and concert have been cancelled. Puyallup High School has cancelled rehearsals and a concert, for which I am a pianist.
All together, these add up to over $1,100 of lost wages. Each day brings the potential for more impact as school districts, symphonic organizations, and others make decisions. I am married, and my husband is a musician as well — he has also been impacted, with three choral festivals cancelled in the past days. The financial impact for me is significant, but not yet disastrous. If it were to continue for more than two months, it would be essential that I find a different career. That WOULD be disastrous.