This archive report was first published on 4 June 2020.
Published on June 4, 2020, a time when the world was grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic.
For many workers, the fear of contracting the virus has become a daily reality. In Michigan, one worker, Mr. Adani, was called back to the office despite his concerns. He felt damned if he came to work and damned if he didn't, as he would lose his unemployment benefits.
Mr. Adani's concerns are shared by many others in the service industry. In Boise, Idaho, Robin Slater, a 65-year-old line cook, was reluctant to return to work at the sports bar where he constantly interacts with other cooks in a small kitchen. He was the only one wearing a mask, and the plan was to limit tables to six people or fewer, but a party of 14 still managed to come in last Sunday.
Mr. Slater had little choice but to return to work, as he was almost certain to lose his $220 weekly unemployment benefits, supplemented by the $600 passed as part of the coronavirus relief bill. So far, 147 workers in Idaho have been reported as refusing to work, though the state did not say how many had lost benefits.
