Laid off workers should get 100% of their wages amid coronavirus, Lindsey Graham says
As new unemployment numbers hit record highs during the coronavirus pandemic, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham has changed his tune, saying laid off workers should get full pay as much of the country shuts down for the virus.
Almost 10 million people have filed for unemployment over the past two weeks as many state and local governments have shut down bars, restaurants and other non-essential businesses, according to new numbers from the Department of Labor.
Graham’s own state of South Carolina has reported 100,000 new unemployment claims over the past two weeks.
In a Tuesday morning tweet, Graham said, “We should restore 100% of their wages while at the same time not undercutting hiring and the efforts of small businesses to retain their employees. All hands on deck approach.”
“We must get enhanced benefits out to millions of Americans who have been laid off due to coronavirus containment. Need ‘Manhattan Project’ approach to modernizing state unemployment systems so checks can flow to help workers,” he said.
Graham’s new position is a change from last week, when he was one of four Republican senators who delayed passing the federal stimulus package. Graham argued that the additional unemployment benefits in the package were too generous.
“This proposal will make it hard for our employers to maintain their workforce, particularly in the area of healthcare, thus, significantly delaying the economic recovery and impairing our health and safety,” Graham tweeted.
The stimulus package signed last week by President Donald Trump includes an extra $600 per week on top of the normal state unemployment benefits.
This story was originally published April 2, 2020 at 10:38 AM with the headline "Laid off workers should get 100% of their wages amid coronavirus, Lindsey Graham says."
