4 in 10 feeling economic effects of COVID-19 crisis: poll

[DonViejo]

Source: The Hill


BY MYCHAEL SCHNELL - 03/09/21 12:07 PM EST


Forty-three percent of Americans are still feeling the economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis, according to a new poll by The Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

The poll found that about half of the Americans surveyed experienced at least one form of household income loss during the pandemic: 25 percent faced a household layoff, and 31 percent said a member of their household was scheduled for fewer hours.

Overall, 44 percent of respondents said the income loss they experienced over the course of the pandemic is still affecting their finances.

The poll also showed that the pandemic is having a disproportionate economic effect on Black and Latino households, in addition to younger Americans.



Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/news/542327-4-in-10-feeling-economic-effects-of-covid-19-crisis-poll

[spooky3]

1. These polls need to ask about benefits, too.

Some employers stopped contributing to retirement plans, and others cut other benefits due to budget strains. Benefits can be 40% of salary.

[Johnny2X2X]

2. 2 Americas

This pandemic accelerated the separation between the 2 Americas. Degreed office workers worked from home and saw their expenses go down the last year. Many came out ahead financially. Blue collar and service workers saw their hours reduce or lost their jobs and had one of the hardest years ever.

In general, the pandemic was good financially for a lot of people, and totally devastating to others.

[Hortensis]

3. Yes. Hardest on the lower-paid half. Everything hits the "have less"

and "have nots" far more than those above the socioeconomic chasm that's developed.

When I dropped out of high school at the end of the '60s, it was leapable. Get a job, pay for additional schooling to the level of income and "whatever" you want, if necessary learn to eat with your mouth closed, get a job (generally plentiful), do a decent job at it. That was basically the ticket to wherever in the various middle to modest wealth classes you planted your goal. Beyond that tended to require special ability and usually some luck for those not born to it, but was open to those who could.

Meritocracy still exists, but institutionalized barriers have grown and been thrown up.

[Withywindle]

4. That number seems surprisingly low to me

I know hardly anyone in that 60% that's not feeling it