You're getting down votes, but my ex is in HR, and says that as soon as the very generous unemployment came out she had dozens of people quitting. A lot of people prefer unemployment to menial jobs.
In the United States you cannot collect unemployment if you quit without good cause, which varies by state. Most states are pretty strict, and generally "good cause" is limited to things like documented sexual harassment, domestic violence, illness, disability or caring for a family member.
I obviously wasn't privy to all the details, but some of the situations she described was that after last March they furloughed (laid off? not sure) a lot of people that they subsequently couldn't get to come back when demand improved.
> .. as soon as the very generous unemployment came out she had dozens of people quitting. A lot of people prefer unemployment to menial jobs.
This comment:
> ...after last March they furloughed (laid off? not sure) a lot of people that they subsequently couldn't get to come back
Did it not occur to you that your statements are entirely contradictory? What actually happened here? Did people quit to get that sweet, sweet government lucre or were they "furloughed" ("no, we're not firing you, we're just not going to pay you or give you work for an indefinite period") and then decide that, gee, maybe they didn't want to come back to work for a company that kicked them to the curb the second things got tough?
So they didn’t quit, they were furloughed or laid off? Why the hell does the employer expect those people to come back? They shouldn’t have stopped paying them in the first place.
I know, I expected the ideological downvotes ;) Hearing the same from a restaurant owner friend, and have seen another friend free-riding for the last year. He’s been taking cheap vacations and going on hikes and road trips. Anecdotal, sure, but with no requirement to even be looking for a job like before, and extra money, it’s quite rational to not work for many people.
See the answer to “My employer has remained open because it is essential. I’m not sick, nor is anyone in my household sick. I do not have children or care for someone who cannot care for themselves. However, I’m afraid of getting coronavirus from customers coming to the store, so I quit and filed for unemployment. Can I obtain benefits under the CARES Act?”
I think the reason they had to add that question in the FAQ is because lots of people were saying that that was their situation, while it actually wasn't.
I don't have actual data, which is obviously not a great position to be in, in a discussion, but I saw a TON of stories from restaurant owners who could not open solely because all the employees left since they made better money by not working.
I don't have opinion either way, just saying it might have looked to op they just quit without cause and still collected unemployment benefits, since these reasons are not usually considered causes , op may not have understood it well.