and hospitality (mostly restaurants and hotels)
accounted for 64% of the losses. And those
workers earn an average of just $16.83 an hour,
41% less than the average American.
They are people like Alexi Ajoste, who worked
at a Panera Bread shop for three years before
being furloughed late last month. Ajoste, a
20-year-old from Tempe, Arizona, has filed for
unemployment benefits.
“I have a savings account and have money
backed up for emergencies, but it scares
me,” Ajoste said. “I don’t know if my savings
account is enough for all of this. I feel like the
unemployment checks will be enough for the
next couple of months....As long as it doesn’t last
four or five months, I think I’ll be good.”
Congress’ rescue plans are intended to ease the
pain. They require companies with fewer than
500 workers to offer paid sick leave, although
employers with fewer than 50 can seek an
exemption. The government is sending $1,200
checks to Americans who earn up to $75,000
and smaller checks to many who earn more.
The rescue plan extended unemployment
benefits for the first time to part-time and gig
workers such as Uber drivers. And it added
$600 a week to existing state unemployment
payments. But states have been swamped by
claims for jobless benefits — nearly 17 million
over the past three weeks — and are struggling
to deliver the new federal aid.
Shamira Chism, for example, who was laid
off from her job as a line cook at a Nashville
restaurant three weeks ago, says she’s getting
by on state unemployment benefits of $275
a week. But she’s still waiting for Tennessee to