Some say they're making more money being on unemployment than working
PHOENIX - As restaurants and other businesses reopen in Arizona, they will be calling furloughed and laid off workers back as the state begins to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
However, many of those workers are possibly making more staying at home and collecting unemployment.
The CARES Act provided an extra $600 a week to laid off workers who qualify, totaling to about $840 per week in unemployment payments in Arizona.
Servers were laid off during their busy season and are being called back during their slow season, leaving some with a dilemma.
A Department of Economic Security statement from a valley restaurant server noticed her unemployment payment went from Arizona’s standard $240 a week, to $840 a week the first week of April.
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She's not alone.
Nolan Golay lost his restaurant job in mid-March during what would have been his high earning season as a server in Scottsdale.
He too is relieved to see the extra unemployment insurance. "It's actually helping out a lot more because its $750 a week and that's more than double or triple what you could be making some times."
The extra $600 weekly unemployment from the federal government is set to end July 31st.
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Will they go back to serving before then knowing they will likely make less money working?
Golay says yes. "Even if it means making less money, I'd still want to go work. It's at least something to do."
For more on the ways Arizona is reopening, visit https://www.fox10phoenix.com/shows/coronavirus-in-arizona