Going back to work?

An excellent article on the issues faced by Washington workers and employers as we seek to re-open businesses during this on-going pandemic can be found here:

June 4, 2020 Update from ESD. Employers and employees are facing some tension about going back to work. For employers it may not be reasonable to bring employees back full-time or at full-pay. For employees who may be making more on unemployment then you will make if you return to work. Especially if your employer wants to bring you back at part-time or at a lower rate of pay then you were making before.

Actually, Scott Micheal from Washington's unemployment department points out that if an employee is brought back under reduced hours from their normal work hours everyone will get the best of both worlds. It is a win for the employer who can more slowly ramp up and safe money on payroll while doing so. It is a win to the employee who will receive the optimal amount of income while securing their job.

For example, a worker who normally makes $1000 a week would get $750 on ESD. If they go back to work at 1/2 time the employer saves on paying the employee for now. The employee still gets paid $500, and they get $350 in Washington ESD and $600 in federal funds for a total of $1450 total. These numbers are not precise and remember the federal $600 has a deadline of June 30. However, this is a net win for both the employer who saves money and the worker who gets more than they would receive either by going back to work full time or by remaining on full time unemployment. 

The House did pass the HEROES act which would extend these benefits to January of 2021. If it does not pass then the extra federal benefit of $600 a week will expire at the end of June and at that time the analysis would also change. At that time, the highest income would result from a return to full time employment. 

Call your Senators, if these benefits are important for you and want to see these benefits extended. https://contactsenators.com/washington