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This is a terrible NPR story. First, unemployment benefits in normal times aren’t paid by taxpayers. They’re paid from a fund in each state that’s built from mandatory employer contributions. https://www.npr.org/2020/04/21/838879361/bitter-taste-for-coffee-shop-owner-as-new-600-jobless-benefit-closed-her-busines
Second, this unchallenged garbage because it doesn’t include workers’ concerns. It’s all owners. Doesn’t mention healthcare, or the cost of COBRA or getting exchange insurance. Doesn’t mention that most workers won’t know hours from week to week. Very bad work.
It fails to note workers can’t quit to get it, but have to be laid off or fired in most cases in most states. https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/unemployment-benefits-when-quit-32450.html
I have filed a lengthy complaint with the NPR ombudsperson. This story doesn’t fact check the cafe owner, her Facebook page contradicts some of what's quoted, it doesn't note she laid some or all workers off, it included GOP statements and not experts or Dems who disagree.
The whole makes me sad and mad. A listener who didn't investigate it would think, "Oh, the government is encouraging people to quit jobs and get lush unemployment. How bad!" When in fact the failure of PPP coupled with bad reporting on this story is what's up.
If the Payroll Protection Program had been efficiently run and quickly set up, employers like this cafe owner might have been able to keep *all* her employees paid at their full hours. Instead, she's right to lay them off (which she must have) to collect benefits.
