Very Interesting Study on Reopening Schools

[Buzz]

Good article ... https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-19/covid-s-spread-in-schools-is-questioned-in-latest-nordic-study

[Hammer2161]

As interesting a study as it appears to be it seems to have taken place in conditions much more favorable than we have here in NYC. Unfortunately for us our biggest challenges are not the children or even the schools it appears to be more the politics of the entire situation. If the powers that be would get over themselves and work together instead of fighting each other we would already be much further along. The re-opening of schools and hopefully the use of busing is going to be a huge undertaking that hopefully has already been set in motion. Most of us are ready willing and able to return to work I still remain hopeful that we will.

[LMR]

Amen to that brother!Sounding slightly more positive.

[PROUD MEMBER]

It's starting to wear on me. I need some good news. Not maybes or hope!

[Hammer2161]

Proud I am willing to bet the uncertainty is starting to wear on all of us. Many if not all of us want to and need to return to work. For both our sanity and monetarily. Unfortunately until the Governor and Mayor can come to some kind of agreement aka a plan to reopen we are in limbo. The Governor keeps saying there will be no decision till August 1st at the earliest and although it's only 8 days away it seems like an eternity. I keep looking for something positive to post but as usual they are dragging their feet. Hang in there buddy.

[Buzz]

The Governor keeps saying there will be no decision till August 1st at the earliest and although it's only 8 days away it seems like an eternity.

And the mayor says he won't decide until the last minute. (The pissing contest continues.) How are you going to get thousands of vehicles and workers ready if we don't know anything until the "last minute?"

[PROUD MEMBER]

Even if they do say that schools are going to open in September, when will we find out if Gen Ed busing is not a thing of the past and that two thousand 1181 drivers may be out of a job? Also 6 weeks later we still don't have our accrual checks. I for one can use it. It sucks!

[wheresmymoney!]

This is the time when we all can use it!! It doesn't make sense the kids have to go to school in some capacity mask hand sanitizer school why is it so difficult.  Every kid needs a bus.  It sucks we are at the mercy of these politicians! Its not right!

[WigWag]

https://www.click2houston.com/news/investigates/2020/07/23/ride-along-what-school-buses-will-look-like-in-the-covid-19-era/?outputType=amp

[WigWag]

New Stimulus Package Expected Monday—$1,200 Second Stimulus Checks, Unemployment Benefits Proposed

Unemployment benefits / return-to-work-bonus

The Associated Press reports that Senate Republicans are leaning toward a proposal that would extend extend enhanced weekly unemployment benefits, but they would no longer be $600 a week. Mnuchin told CNBC that unemployment benefits would be based on an approximately '70% wage replacement.' This could equate to about $200 or $300 per week for supplemental unemployment benefits, rather than the $600 a week that Congress authorized under the Cares Act. Why? Many Republicans have believed that the $600 a week unemployment benefit creates a disincentive for recipients to return to work. They also argued that some recipients can earn more than unemployment benefits than from employment. So, Republicans could extend these unemployment benefits without creating, in their view, a disincentive to return to work. Democrats are likely to balk at the proposed reduction is these unemployment benefits at a time when more than 40 million people have applied for unemployment benefits Without congressional intervention, unemployment benefits expire this weekend. Congress may use a stop-gap measure while they finalize terms for unemployment benefits after July. Will there also be a return-to-work bonus? Senate Republicans and the White House previously had rallied around Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), who proposed a $450 a week cash return-to-work bonus.

[snypster]

If anyone listened to Mayor Deblasio's press conference yesterday ( july23 press conference )  , when asked the question about schoolbuses returning when school reopens , he said the schoolbuses WILL be a part of the reopening process, but it has to be done safely.https://youtu.be/CRwQcPtIbOY
(Go to 17:15, if you don't want to listen to the whole press conference )

[Buzz]

New Stimulus Package Expected Monday—$1,200 Second Stimulus Checks, Unemployment Benefits Proposed

Unemployment benefits / return-to-work-bonus

The Associated Press reports that Senate Republicans are leaning toward a proposal that would extend extend enhanced weekly unemployment benefits, but they would no longer be $600 a week. Mnuchin told CNBC that unemployment benefits would be based on an approximately '70% wage replacement.' This could equate to about $200 or $300 per week for supplemental unemployment benefits, rather than the $600 a week that Congress authorized under the Cares Act. Why? Many Republicans have believed that the $600 a week unemployment benefit creates a disincentive for recipients to return to work. They also argued that some recipients can earn more than unemployment benefits than from employment. So, Republicans could extend these unemployment benefits without creating, in their view, a disincentive to return to work. Democrats are likely to balk at the proposed reduction is these unemployment benefits at a time when more than 40 million people have applied for unemployment benefits Without congressional intervention, unemployment benefits expire this weekend. Congress may use a stop-gap measure while they finalize terms for unemployment benefits after July. Will there also be a return-to-work bonus? Senate Republicans and the White House previously had rallied around Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), who proposed a $450 a week cash return-to-work bonus.

Not following how you arrive at $200 - $300 supplemental. 70% wage replacement for somebody at top pay, approximately $1,200 would be $840, no? This would be even more than we're getting now, if that's the case.

It does make more sense that it is based in some way on your salary. Florida, for instance, the maximum benefit is $275. You have to earn about $560 a week to get the maximum. 70% of $560 is $392 ... plus the state benefit of $275 is $667 ... still $100 more than they make working but not as out of line as paying an extra $600 to everybody.

[WigWag]

i guess $504 + 300 would be $804 which would be close to $840 also I just copy and paste that info.

[Hammer2161]

I believe the 70 percent is in total. They will make up the difference between what your state pays you and the 70 percent. According to everything I am reading I think it will be a set number once again simply because the states do not have enough time to go in and calculate what everyone would get on an individual basis. It surely would be much easier to just agree on a number to simplify this whole process. Because we all no if they try to do the percentage thing a lot of people are going to be waiting for money.

[WigWag16]

I believe the 70 percent is in total. They will make up the difference between what your state pays you and the 70 percent. According to everything I am reading I think it will be a set number once again simply because the states do not have enough time to go in and calculate what everyone would get on an individual basis. It surely would be much easier to just agree on a number to simplify this whole process. Because we all no if they try to do the percentage thing a lot of people are going to be waiting for money.

It's going to be 600 total and 70 percent of the 600 which brings you to 422 before tax. After tax it should be between 375-385 I assume along with the regular unemployment