Media Advisory: Town Hall on Unemployment Crisis, 7/16/2020

Louisianans Ask Congress to Address Ongoing Unemployment Crisis and Preserve Critical $600 Payments

Louisiana — On July 16, 2020, unemployed workers from across Louisiana will hold a virtual town hall with elected officials to discuss the challenges facing families dealing with job losses, the impact of emergency federal unemployment benefits on Louisiana’s economy, and the need for Congressional action.

The CARES Act, passed by Congress in March, extended unemployment insurance to previously ineligible people, including self-employed business operators, independent contractors, and people with caregiving responsibilities impacted by COVID-related closures. The CARES Act also added a $600 weekly supplemental benefit, which will expire July 31 unless Congress acts. Economists estimate that extending these benefits for a year would generate over $8 million in personal income to Louisiana residents and save almost 82 million jobs. Without the $600, workers will have to live on less than $247 per week — Louisiana’s maximum benefit. Black and Brown workers would be particularly hard-hit, as they are more likely than white workers to face unemployment and have fewer savings.

At the town hall, unemployed workers will share their experiences accessing the unemployment system. Jobless people who are excluded from, denied, or still waiting for unemployment benefits will share the sacrifices and strategies they have used to survive without income. Unemployed workers who are relying on the $600 weekly supplement will describe how the additional funds impacted their lives and what a future without this additional money during a pandemic may look like.

The town hall event is sponsored by Step Up Louisiana, the Louisiana Budget Project, Workplace Justice Project, the Power Coalition, and UNITE HERE Local 23.

Who:

• Louisianans who have lost their jobs or had their hours cut as a result of the COVID-19 crisis
• Representative of Congressman Cedric Richmond (D-LA2)
• Representative Ted James (D-Baton Rouge)
• Representatives of Senator Bill Cassidy
• Representatives of Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA3)

When: Thursday, July 16, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. CST

 To RSVP, please use the link below 

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAuce-sqDMuG9yWaO9XXmbj_BoNAdwvwgD8