18% of U.S. workers have lost jobs or hours since coronavirus hit, poll finds, 25% of lower income

[Demovictory9]

https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-03-17/coronavirus-layoffs-work-hours-jobs

As fallout from the coronavirus pandemic hits the economy, it’s slamming the American workforce: Some 18% of adults reported that they had been laid off or that their work hours had been cut, a new poll found.

The proportion affected grew for lower-income households, with 25% of those making less than $50,000 a year reporting that they had been let go or had their hours reduced, according to a survey released Tuesday by NPR, PBS NewsHour and Marist of 835 working adults in the contiguous United States.

The poll was conducted Friday and Saturday, just after stocks began their steep plunge and normal life started grinding to a halt, with schools and places of worship closing, concerts and conferences being canceled and sports leagues suspending their seasons.

The same poll found that about 56% of Americans considered the coronavirus outbreak a “real threat,” while 38% said it was “blown out of proportion.”

[getagrip_already]

1. and payroll tax reductions don't help people not working......

And while a one time $1k check helps, extended, expanded, and increased unemployment benefits would help a whole lot more.

Most part time workers can't even get unemployment insurance payouts. They don't qualify.

[femmedem]

2. Exactly.

And there are a lot of self-employed people who won't qualify for unemployment, too.

[spinbaby]

3. Small business and gig economy

These are the people who just had the bottom drop out.

I had a tree come down on my property Saturday night, so on Sunday I called my tree guy, thinking I’d leave a message, he’d come out to take a look in a few days, and he’d get to the tree in a couple of weeks. That’s the way it works with him.

Instead, he answered his phone on a Sunday, came out to give me an estimate in 20 minutes, and was working on the tree by 8:00 the next morning. He said the bottom dropped out of his business in less than a week in what was usually a busy season.

[hunter]

4. My family at large is taking some very substantial hits.

Two of my nieces are out of work, two of my brother-in-laws have had their work severely cut... and my wife, who is a health care professional, has been rationed to one mask a day. That got really fucking real today. There's no robot who can do her job, no social distance. She has to touch people.

My children are working entirely from their homes now. They are fortunate to have jobs where that's mostly, but not entirely possible.

[Demovictory9]

8. that is harsh.

[Freethinker65]

5. Yep. My hours disappeared.

Part time retail, mostly to get out of the house as an empty nester.
Family owned national company has said they have a pandemic plan in place to pay workers, but I do not know yet how that works for part-timers. Many of my co-workers relied on the income and had more than one job.

Another friend lost his job one month ago. Not a great time to be over 50 yo and looking, even before the pandemic. Now they have their college age kids back because school is out for the semester.

[Demovictory9]

9. sorry to hear that

[Wellstone ruled]

6. So once again,

we see first hand how the Trump Administration Juiced the payroll numbers once again in January. The Layoffs started in November time frame and now are on a accelerated trajectory going off the charts by months end.

When China pulled the Trigger in late December,one could see this tsunami of Job cuts and Closings move in real time.

[riversedge]

7. k and R

[uponit7771]

10. K&R