With Labor Day approaching and the unemployment rate at 10.2 percent, WalletHub recently released a nationally representative Coronavirus and Labor Day Survey, which found that one in three Americans worry about job security.
Highlights of the survey show that:
Americans want extended COVID-19 relief; people think that Congress should continue to give extra unemployment benefits until the pandemic ends.
There is also fear over Labor Day crowds as the majority of Americans do not trust others to be responsible with social distancing over Labor Day Weekend.
Also, half of Americans think they’ve worked harder since the pandemic began.
For the complete survey results, visit: https://wallethub.com/blog/coronavirus-and-labor-day-survey/78578/
Following is a WalletHub Q&A with responses provided by Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst.
Question: Do Americans think that the temporary extra benefits offered to unemployed people should be extended?
Answer: The vast majority of Americans, at 74 percent, think that Congress should extend the extra unemployment benefits until the pandemic is over. Opinions differ across income brackets, as 83 percent of low-income Americans are in favor of an extension of extra benefits until the end of the pandemic, compared to 63 percent of high-income Americans. Deadlock in Congress, combined with legislators’ summer recess, may lead to a long period of time without a long-term solution for the unemployed.
Q: Are people optimistic that others will practice social distancing during Labor Day celebrations?
A: Most Americans, at 77 percent, do not trust others to be responsible about social distancing this Labor Day. Adults under 30 years old are more than twice as likely as those aged 59+ to trust that others will practice social distancing. This makes sense considering the fact that the elderly are more vulnerable to serious symptoms from COVID-19 and thus must practice an especially high level of caution.
Q: During the COVID-19 pandemic, are Americans working harder than usual?
A: Half of Americans say they have worked harder since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Middle-class Americans were the most likely to say they have worked harder, followed by high-income and then low-income Americans.
Q: Are Americans worried about their job security this Labor Day?
A: About one in three Americans worry about their job security, which makes sense considering the extremely high rate of unemployment in the U.S. right now. Women are less likely than men to be concerned about job security, even though recent data shows that women are losing their jobs at a greater rate than men during the COVID-19 pandemic.