Amanda Rinehart. Amanda Rinehart
All unemployment benefits will be lost by 7.5 million Americans on Labor Day.
Amanda Rinehart (33), a Pennsylvania mother who quit her job to take care of her child.
Her child is too young to get vaccinated and the pandemic is still raging, so she will be staying home.
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Amanda Rinehart (33), loved her job as a waitress.
When the pandemic struck, she had just been promoted. She had to leave her job in October 2020 to take care of her son, who was attending school online. Her 8-year old son is too young for vaccination and the Delta variant is a concern for children returning to school and their parents.
Rinehart is just one of many millions of mothers and fathers whose lives were disrupted by this pandemic. According to Census Bureau data, 3.5 million mothers left active work between March and April 2020. As of January, 10 million mothers were not working - that's one third of all mothers living with school-age children in the US.
The return to normalcy is not possible with the number of Delta cases rising just as back-to school season starts. Insider was told by experts that mothers might not be able to return to work for several months.
Rinehart stated that the coronavirus was still present a year later and is still affecting children.
Rinehart is currently enrolled in a federal unemployment program called Pandemic Emergency Compensation (PEUC), which increases the time workers can get benefits. Insider reported that she is "staying afloat" thanks to the PEUC program, which allows her to pay her rent and bills. It expires on September 6, without any permanent replacement.
According to the Century Foundation, Rinehart and 7.5 million others will lose their benefits when Labor Day is over.
This is Rinehart's story, in her own words. It has been edited for brevity.
I don't know what I'm going do with my money.
Continue the story
Because he is at high risk for Covid and there are no vaccines available for children younger than 12 years, my son will remain virtual for this year.
It's unfortunate that they are going to reduce these benefits. Not knowing how everyone's circumstances may differ, I believe it's a shame. Without these benefits, I don't know what I will do financially.
I was able to stay afloat thanks to the unemployment benefits. I was able control my rent and bills. Although I have some money from the stimulus checks, it won't last long. My rent is $1,100 per month. There are many resources available, but they can only do so much, and there is no guarantee that I will receive them all.
They should not stop any benefits until there is at least a vaccine available for everyone in America. Before we end the benefits, there should be a vaccine available for all ages, even children under 12.
It is terrifying to be a parent during this pandemic.
My son contracted a rhinovirus some years back. He was admitted to the hospital for a while, but is now very happy to be at home. Who knows what COVID-19 might do to him?
These kids won't be able to wear a mask all day and keep their social circle close. It's impossible for them to keep a mask on because they're young. Children with underlying medical conditions are not allowed to travel and could be exposed to COVID-19.
His school was not the best, so I had to change it. He was in a great school, but they didn't offer virtual. Given the circumstances, I had no choice but to enroll him in public schools to allow him to be virtual.
For any technical problems or complications, the parent must be present during the class according to the instructions.
My son will go back to school if he has a vaccine. I will also be able to go back to work with joy.
That was how I kept my sanity when I went to work. This was my escape from the house. It's hard to believe that I am losing it all the time, living in this house with my child, and protecting him during school hours and other activities.
My long-term goal is to absolutely return to work once there's a safe vaccine.
Remember that vaccines for children younger than 12 years are not available. Without these benefits, we're likely to face very difficult - and even impossible - times. I would advise the governor to learn about each person's unique circumstances and to understand why they cannot return to work.
I would tell President Joe Biden the exact same thing.
Business Insider has the original article.
