Thread by @wsbgnl, New unemployment rules have enormous implications for lower wage workers. "Essential" workers [...]

wsbgnl

New unemployment rules have enormous implications for lower wage workers. "Essential" workers will earn dramatically lower pay over the next four months than their unemployed peers. These charts show weekly pay by unemployment status for FT and PT workers in Washington State.

UI income replacement for workers who normally earn $16 per hour is 144% for FT (40 hr/week) and 246% for PT (20 hr/week). The implied replacement hourly wage for this UI pay is $23/hr for FT and $39/hr for PT.

These figures were obtained by applying the normal UI benefit formula for WA and adding a flat $600 regardless of work status or prior earnings, as indicated in the CARES Act. It includes a minimum weekly benefit of $188 and a maximum of $790. https://esd.wa.gov/unemployment/calculate-your-benefit

For reference, Amazon is bumping its workers from $15/hr to $17/hr. In WA in May 2018, median wage was $15.01 - nursing assistants; $13.77 - personal care aides; $12.77 - cashiers; $13.96 - retail salespersons; $12.23 - fast food workers; $15.36 - cooks. https://www.bls.gov/oes/2018/may/oes_wa.htm

Any business that employs lower wage workers should either temporarily close and allow all their staff to stay safely at home and earn UI free and clear, or they should temporarily raise wages to *at least* the level of income the worker would receive from UI.

“Eligibility for unemployment benefits is expanded to include many Washingtonians currently not eligible, including many self-employed people and those that don’t have the typically required 680 hours.”

https://esd.wa.gov/newsroom/covid-19

Regarding health benefits