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With Coronavirus Going Strong, Some Don't Want To Go Back To Work
The Busy Bee Diner in Ventura. (Brent Stirton/Getty Images)
Many businesses in L.A. can now reopen after months of being shut down during the coronavirus pandemic. But employers say they’re having difficulties getting their workers to come back.
Some suspect unemployment benefits, which are more generous than usual, may be a factor.
But most workers don’t have a choice to stay on unemployment: If they're called back to work and refuse, California’s unemployment system could cut them off.
Instead, many workers say their primary concern is safety — and some are quitting their jobs to stay healthy.
Katie Thompson, who recently stepped down from her retail job at a Madewell store in Pasadena, said, “I understand why they felt like they needed to open. But I just wasn't willing to be sacrificed at that altar.”
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