COVID-19 made official landfall in the United States in January
2020. Since then, it's had a domino effect on nearly every industry.
Businesses have been forced to close or adjust working
procedures due to social distancing mandates and stay-at-home orders. And the
number of people filing for unemployment has skyrocketed, with many people
facing an uncertain job and financial outlook. As we enter
a recession, finding a new job can be even harder.
If you have lost your job or are worried you might soon, you
still have options.
Apply for Unemployment Benefits
If you have been laid off, furloughed, or had your hours reduced due to coronavirus, one of the first things you should do is file for unemployment. Recent changes in unemployment policies were specifically made for this unique situation. You may qualify for benefits even if you wouldn't have in the pre-COVID-19 world. Make sure you understand the benefits you are entitled to, but also your responsibilities to access those benefits.
Expanded Unemployment Benefits
Federal law now allows for more flexibility and
extended situations where unemployment
benefits can be used when related to COVID-19. You may qualify for benefits
if one of the following applies to your situation.
- Your employer has temporarily ceased operations
due to COVID-19, preventing you from going to work.
- You are quarantined due to COVID-19 and will be
returning to work when the quarantine period has passed.
- You have had to leave your job because of
"a risk of exposure or infection or to care for a family member."
Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation
If you are eligible for unemployment insurance,
you may also be eligible for the Federal
Pandemic Unemployment Compensation. This compensation provides
an extra $600 federal benefit per week on top of your regular unemployment
benefits until July 31, 2020. To receive this compensation, you must apply for
regular unemployment benefits through your state.
Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation
The Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation plan was enacted by the CARES Act and extends unemployment benefits for 13 weeks after regular unemployment benefits have been exhausted. You must be able and willing to work and actively seeking employment opportunities to qualify for these benefits.
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program
Another new program created to help assist those who
are dealing with unemployment issues due to the coronavirus is the Pandemic
Unemployment Assistance program. This ensures that 1099
workers and those who are self-employed may also receive unemployment if their
loss in business was due to the virus. If you qualify under this program, you
would be eligible to receive 50% of the average unemployment benefit for your
state of residence and an additional $600 per week under Federal Pandemic
Unemployment Compensation.
Find Alternative Work Opportunities
If it’s possible—and safe—for you to continue working,
there are employment opportunities that you can look into. While many
customer-facing retailers may be laying off workers, other sectors, including
manufacturing and essential retail, are booming.
Grocery Stores and Food Delivery Services
Many grocery stores are conducting mass hiring initiatives.
They're trying to get people who can work immediately to help stock shelves and
check out customers to help meet the increased demand. In addition, many grocery
stores need delivery drivers for their expanded delivery services. Check with
your local grocery stores for availability.
Delivery Drivers
Many restaurants have shut down their in-house services and
are in need of more delivery drivers to help keep their doors open. Check out
your local restaurants as well as these other delivery services that are
currently hiring:
Online Learning Companies
As schools around the country have turned to
homeschooling, online
learning communities are in need of qualified professionals. Check out
organizations like Outschool and Udemy. You can also check with apps
like Nextdoor
to see if anyone in your area is in need of tutoring services for their
children.
Family Services
Schools are closed and many working parents need daycare
assistance. Many daycare services have closed down for health reasons, but nanny
jobs and daycare teachers will continue to be in demand. If you are healthy and
able, working families could use your services. Check out services like UrbanSitter and Care.
Health Care
In addition to hiring certified positions like registered
nurses and other licensed nursing assistants, many health care services are
hiring more administrative and operational support positions to help with the
influx of patients. These jobs are on the front lines and could be risky. They
are not appropriate for all people.
Remote Communication Companies
As more and more people have begun working from home,
companies that offer remote communication tools have been growing to meet the
demand. Companies like Zoom and Slack are currently hiring for many
positions.
Small Businesses
Small businesses in your location may be in need of help
but too busy to post about it. Reach out to local businesses to see if they
need help.
Learn a New Skill
While you’re looking for a job, you could work to improve
your existing skills or learn a new one. Living during a pandemic can have an
immense emotional and mental toll in addition to the physical hazards. Try not
to be too hard on yourself if you’re not as productive as you’d like to be.
Learning a new skill can be difficult at the best of times.
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Many free resources exist to help you learn new skills.
Here are some great places to start:
Be Creative
It’s definitely a hard time to make a living as an artist
or other creative at this time. But there are opportunities for folks. Do you
have a hobby or skill that you can turn into a short-term side business?
Inventory your skills and see how you can tailor those in new ways.
Find Options That Work for You
While these may be uncertain times, take advantage of the resources and laws put into place to help you find relief. And check out new job opportunities during COVID-19 that can help you maintain your financial footing during this time.
