 On August 17th, West Carroll Special School District chose to close all of their schools (Primary, Elementary, Jr/Sr High) Wednesday through Friday of that week. Preston Caldwell, Director of Schools, said "the time is needed for quarantine relief, and to prepare for distance learning." Caldwell made the decision after more than 300 students (38% of the student population) were in quarantine.
The unspoken part of this story is that the parents of 900 students have also been affected - as they suddenly have to adjust their work schedule, or use vacation days, or have had to quit their job altogether due to unpredictable needs at home. This obviously places a financial hardship on these families, with no recourse. This same scenario is playing out in schools all across West Tennessee, as the Delta variant of COVID-19 is impacting young people at a much higher rate than the previous virus. Among children age 10 and younger, an average of 550 new COVID cases PER DAY are occurring across Tennessee. In the last 2 weeks (as of 8/19), over 12,000 children age 5 to 18 have been diagnosed with COVID. That's 12,000 families economically affected as well. Schools all across the area are reporting higher illness rates, and quarantine procedures require those in contact to take time away from school as well....resulting in even more families struggling to adjust work schedules. Shelby County, in trying to mitigate the sudden rise in COVID cases has today (8/20) reinstated their mask mandate for all indoor public places such as restaurants, bars, gyms, event venues, hotels, multi-residential buildings, and other businesses. An article published on the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's website (here) recognizes the strain families are under, and is calling on local and state lawmakers to use federal money to provide direct financial support for women and their families. The article cites that 2.5 million women left the job market during the crisis and have increased child care responsibilities in today's world. The article also suggests implementing policies that support families, including: paid family leave, flexible schedules, and remote work options. If your family is struggling due to COVID related issues, call us at the law office of T. Verner Smith. Through financial restructuring, debt resolution, or legal options including but not limited to bankruptcy, there are ways to relieve the pressure and chart a path to a better future. Don't be embarrassed, don't be hesitant, you are not alone, and taking action now is the smart approach. Call us at (731) 423-1888 and schedule a free consultation.  According to a recent article (here) recent social media posts have suggested that if workers don't agree with the vaccination requirements at their job, "DO NOT QUIT. Make them fire you...and get unemployment benefits."
However, the article says that if a worker fails to comply with a company's vaccination policy, they may be fired and are generally ineligible for unemployment benefits. There are likely going to be some exceptions and qualifications for unemployment vary state to state. Some states have more guidance than others, but employees are generally barred from getting unemployment benefits if they quit or if the employer has 'cause' for terminating the employee for misconduct. Is refusing to take the vaccination enough 'cause' for termination? Maybe. Don't look for any help from the feds either, as the U.S. Justice Department just recently wrote a legal opinion that businesses may lawfully REQUIRE employees to get vaccinated. See the opinion here. The article also admits that since COVID-19 vaccines are still new, private company mandates will likely be challenged in courts. Has the original pandemic and now the vaccination issue caused a financial problem for your family? Call us at the law office of T. Verner Smith. Through financial restructuring, debt resolution, or legal options including but not limited to bankruptcy, there are ways to relieve the pressure and chart a path to a better future. Don't be embarrassed, don't be hesitant, you are not alone, and taking action now is the smart approach. Call us at (731) 423-1888 and schedule a free consultation.  First the latest news about new unemployment claims in Tennessee. Since the Governor stopped federal unemployment money as well as extended benefits AND benefits to the self employed and gig workers....as of yesterday, an additional 24,000 new unemployment claims have been filed in Tennessee since July 3rd.
In fact, Tennessee was one of only 10 states in the entire nation that showed MORE new claims this week, than the week before. Only California and Nevada had more new claims filed. SOMETHING is obviously wrong. Unemployment in Tennessee, if you can get it, only averages $218 a week. What kind of a lifestyle do you think that provides? Why are so many Tennesseans opting for that, instead of taking one of the jobs available? Is $218 a week enough to encourage someone to stay home? You'd certainly think not. Are folks choosing to stay home, and suffer economically, rather than take the jobs that are available? If so, what does that say about the jobs that are available? If anything. Those of us who say, 'well I've always worked 3 jobs when I had to', and 'as long as I'm able-bodied, I'll always go to work'. Good on us. That still doesn't answer the question of why so many folks are STILL refusing to take the jobs that are being offered. An unemployment check of $218 a week...IF you even qualify for one...and for however long you can receive it...isn't enough of a reason to stay home, regardless of how 'lazy' you are perceived to be. It just can't be. It must be something else. Regardless of where you are on the economic scale, the pandemic brought hardships to many Tennesseans. From longtime business owners, to entrepreneurs, to gig workers, servers, and laborers, virtually every type of career was met with challenges of some kind. Many Tennesseans got behind on their bills, were unable to find jobs that provided the income they needed, and as a result are facing past due notices, evictions, foreclosures, and lawsuits. The law office of T. Verner Smith can help you avoid and/or offer relief in most all of those cases. From debt restructuring, to negotiations, to bankruptcy, there are a number of legal remedies for most situations. Call to schedule a free consultation today at (731) 423-1888 or visit www.vernersmith.com  First the news about new unemployment claims in Tennessee. Since the Governor slammed the door on federal unemployment money and stopped extended benefits AND benefits to the self employed and gig workers....as of yesterday, nearly 17,000 new unemployment claims have been filed in Tennessee since July 3rd. Even the national new claims numbers shocked the experts this week, jumping to 419,000...when 350,000 were expected. Here at home, as thousands of Tennessee residents who lost their original jobs due (mostly) to the pandemic are still struggling to find decent paying jobs. The struggle is real. Imagine this........ According to the state's own jobs4tn.gov website, the fastest growing occupation for this area is 'Food Prep and Servers'....followed by 'Cashiers'...then 'retail salespeople'. Those jobs pay, on the average, just $100 a week more than the federal poverty line income level. (Those 3 job categories average $18,800 vs federal poverty line for 1 person at $12,800/annual) To further compound the problem, those same three categories, which were the FIRST to be impacted by the pandemic shutdown...are in danger of having it happen all over again. As a result, the vast majority of those are looking for other, more insulated jobs.....and those are either hard to find, or require skill sets they don't have or haven't acquired yet.  To make matters even worse, rumblings are beginning again about the possibility of mandatory masks and business shutdowns.
The sudden rise of the Delta variant of COVID is real. In Tennessee alone, documented new cases of COVID have risen from 1,200 cases this time last month, to right at 9,000 today. Based on the current trajectory, that number could be as high as 64,000 this time next month. Also concerning, on a national scale, 2 of the fastest new case states, are right against our West Tennessee border: Arkansas and Missouri. The White House is considering issuing some sort of mask mandate. Los Angeles County has already re-issued a mask mandate for all indoor facilities, and at least 2 restaurants have temporarily closed again. School is about to get underway, and the CDC has adjusted their K-12 recommendations suggesting masks be worn by everyone indoors if not fully vaccinated as well as maintaining the 3-foot-rule in classrooms. Yes, we are all doing our best to....and want to....get past the pandemic. But there is no denying that the effects are still being felt, and there is a very real threat of mandates and closings happening again. Meanwhile, families are struggling financially. If your family is having difficulty finding family-supporting employment, or the pandemic put you in a financial crisis....call us at the law office of T. Verner Smith. Through financial restructuring, debt resolution, or legal options including but not limited to bankruptcy, there are ways to relieve the pressure and chart a path to a better future. Don't be embarrassed, don't be hesitant, you are not alone, and taking action now is the smart approach. Call us at (731) 423-1888 and schedule a free consultation.  The theory was that shutting the door on unemployment benefits would force folks to get out and find a job. So here we are, almost 2 weeks since Governor Lee shut down federal unemployment benefits, extended state benefits, and benefits for gig and self-employed Tennesseans.....and what is the result? Well, you have to do some digging.... because, for some unexplained reason last week, the Tennessee Department of Labor announced they will no longer publish unemployment claims data. (link here) In fact, the only story they released yesterday about unemployment in Tennessee referenced the month of June. No mention of last week's numbers at all. So we visited the US Department of Labor's site and checked the just released (7/15/21) data. As it turns out, last week, Tennessee's new unemployment claims went UP 44%. Approximately 9,400 new claims, compared to 6,500 the week before. (link here) Did more people try to go out and find jobs? They may have tried, but the picture isn't nearly as rosy as many would have you believe.
For example, we searched Madison County's available jobs at jobs4tn.gov. There are allegedly 2,400 job openings, and 23,242 active resume candidates. Which means, if you're looking for a job, for every 1 that lands it...9 others will be told 'no thanks', keep looking. Further, they note that the fastest growing occupation for the region is Food Prep and Servers, with an average wage of $18,400 a year. Cashiers are next fastest growing, at $18,290 a year, followed by retail salespeople at $19,990 a year. Let's face it, folks aren't getting rich. It's quite understandable why many Tennesseans are searching for better opportunities. Yet the available job landscape doesn't leave a lot of options. (data here) We dug into those 2,400 job openings in Madison County, to see what those really are. Over half of those listed are more than a month old. Of those that are current (within the last month), only 102 of them pay more than $20K a year. And if you don't have MORE than a high school diploma, only 51 of those are available. If your family is struggling because you no longer qualify for unemployment, are having difficulty finding family-supporting employment, or the pandemic put you in a financial crisis....call us at the law office of T. Verner Smith. Through financial restructuring, debt resolution, or legal options including but not limited to bankruptcy, there are ways to relieve the pressure and chart a path to a better future. Don't be embarrassed, don't be hesitant, you are not alone, and taking action now is the smart approach. Call us at (731) 423-1888 and schedule a free consultation.  A day after the state halted federal unemployment benefits, they announced a $2.5 million campaign giving free airline tickets to out-of-state tourists. At the very least, it's terrible optics. On July 4th, the day after Tennessee Governor Bill Lee shut the doors on federal benefits for the state's unemployed (as well as ending extended benefits, and gig worker & self-employed benefits), he announced that 10,000 airline tickets will be given away to tourists. The campaign, named 'Tennessee On Me' will be distributing 10,000 $250 gift cards to visitors who fly Delta, American, or Southwest Airlines to Nashville, Memphis, Chattanooga, or Knoxville, and book a 2 night stay. The gift cards are being paid for with Tennessee taxpayer money. Opponents of the campaign say it not only looks bad, but it also only benefits the four Tennessee cities targeted as destinations, leaving the rest of the state holding the bag. Lt. Governor Randy McNally, who said he was unaware of the campaign until it started, released a statement saying, "I will be asking the administration...to provide more detail to the legislature about such initiatives...in the future."  Meanwhile, the thousands who have now had their benefits cut, are left trying to find a job for minimum wage or less. While the state continues to harp about the 250,000 job openings on their website, if you're really looking for a job, the results are not that rosey.
As an example, we went to the state's jobs4tn.gov website...entered Jackson Tennessee and a 10 mile radius...checked for job openings from the last 2 weeks...with an income of $40K+...and a requirement of high school diploma or less. The result? 10 job openings. Drop the income to just $20K+ per year, and there were just 60 openings....and even with those jobs, there were specific skills required for the vast majority. The picture is NOT as it is being painted. If your family is struggling because you no longer qualify for unemployment, are having difficulty finding family-supporting employment, or the pandemic put you in a financial crisis....call us at the law office of T. Verner Smith. Through financial restructuring, debt resolution, or legal options including but not limited to bankruptcy, there are ways to relieve the pressure and chart a path to a better future. Don't be embarrassed, don't be hesitant, you are not alone, and taking action now is the smart approach. Call us at (731) 423-1888 and schedule a free consultation.  A number of new laws were enacted yesterday (7/1/21) in Tennessee, the entire list can be seen here.
Here are a few of the new laws: Sales Tax Holiday now includes food, and features extended dates The current sales tax holiday weekend is July 30th through August 1st for clothing, school supplies and computers. This new bill adds food, food ingredients, and prepared food (grocery and restaurants) to those same dates, but then the tax-free food continues through Thursday August 5th. Some exclusions (including alcohol and tobacco) apply and can be seen here. Parents can be charged with 'severe' child abuse if children exposed to certain drugs A new law protects children from being exposed to dangerous illegal drugs. It expands the definition of “severe child abuse” (as well as Child Neglect and Endangerment) to involve a child being in the presence of or having access to certain extremely dangerous or illegal drugs: cocaine, methamphetamine, or fentanyl. New 'lifetime' order of protection To help victims of stalking or domestic violence, a new statute creates a 'lifetime' order of protection that can be issued after certain felony offenses. A victim of felony assault, kidnapping, attempted homicide, or sexual offenses can file a 'lifetime' order of protection against their convicted offender. Porch Pirates to receive stiffer penalties Previously, criminals who steal packages from doorsteps, porches, driveways or mailboxes faced penalties determined by the value of the stolen package. Now, however, after the first offense, all following offenses must be charged with at least a Class E felony....with prison times of one to six years as well as fines. Small business protection if another COVID-like crisis occurs. The Tennessee Fair Business Act is designed to protect small businesses in the event of another pandemic shutdown in the future. This new law allows businesses to remain open if they follow guidelines issued by ANY government. This act puts all businesses on the same playing field in a declared emergency so that small businesses aren't forced to close, while larger competitors remain open. Thousands of Tennesseans are about a week away from losing all or part of their unemployment benefits.
The cuts, scheduled to occur July 3rd, include the extra $300 per week from the feds, an end to all unemployment benefits past the standard timeframe, AND those who are gig workers or self-employed. New data, (here) however, suggests that cutting off unemployment won't push people into finding work. A dozen states ended their extra unemployment benefits over the past two weeks...and yet job searches are about 4% below the national average in those states. The data, comprised by Indeed, says clicks on job posts in those states is well below that of the average job seeker. Why these numbers are still remaining stagnant is anybody's guess. Economists are struggling to find answers. One tweeted that "no one says it's a 'consumer shortage' if companies offer high prices and bad service...yet some say it's a 'labor shortage' if companies only offer low wages and bad benefits." A quick search on Indeed's website (here) shows Jackson Tennessee had 269 full time job openings posted over the last week. More than half of the jobs pay $15 or less an hour. There is also the negative retail impact that shutting down the benefits will create. Studies have found that Tennessee retailers will lose over $450 million in sales that would have been fueled by continued unemployment benefits. If your family is struggling because you didn't qualify for unemployment, or are about to lose your benefits....call us at the law office of T. Verner Smith. Through financial restructuring, debt resolution, or legal options including but not limited to bankruptcy, there are ways to relieve the pressure and chart a path to a better future. Don't be embarrassed, don't be hesitant, you are not alone, and taking action now is the smart approach. Call us at (731) 423-1888 and schedule a free consultation.  Much has been talked about in the news about the number of jobs available in Tennessee. Most cite the state's 'Job Board' currently listing of over 260,000 job openings. But a recent analysis found that only 3% of those jobs listed pay $20K or more. The federal poverty line for a family of three is about $22K. So 97% of the jobs available on the state's site pay less than the federal poverty line for the average family? Apparently so. The number of 'available' jobs, at more than 260,000, may also be inaccurate, as the analysis also found almost 200,000 of those listings are more than a month old.
Will Tennesseans who have been looking for a job to support their family be forced into taking one of those 'under $20K jobs'? Maybe so. Will that magically fix the problem? Of course not.  Last week's blog explored the likely results of the July 3rd shutdown, and how $480 million will also be taken out of Tennessee retail cash registers as a result. Read that blog here.
If your family is struggling financially....call us at the law office of T. Verner Smith. Through restructuring, debt resolution, or legal options including but not limited to bankruptcy, there are ways to relieve the pressure and chart a path to a better future. Don't be embarrassed, don't be hesitant, you are not alone, and taking action now is the smart approach. Call us at (731) 423-1888 and schedule a free consultation. More than half of Tennessee's unemployed about to lose benefits - here's why this is a bad idea.6/8/2021
 Tennessee residents have known for weeks that 'federal' unemployment assistance is coming to an end on July 3rd. But a new report explains how that loss can impact ALL Tennesseans. The report, (here) issued by the Joint Economic Committee in Nashville, found that 64% of those who qualified for unemployment in May, will no longer qualify after July 3rd. Those groups are primarily folks who have exhausted their state benefits, gig workers, and the self-employed. That's not great news for businesses either. Here's why... The report also found that every 'dollar' distributed through the unemployment system generates $1.61 in local spending. Based on those numbers, when Tennessee's unemployed lose $300 million in benefits over the next few months, Tennessee businesses will feel a $480 million negative impact. As the report states, "By ending these programs early, states are refusing billions of already appropriated federal dollars that could be spent in local groceries, restaurants, and retail shops.  This will not force the unemployed to go to work.
Another report (here) notes that all indicators suggest this 'cutting off' of unemployment benefits just won't work. The chief economist for the AFL-CIO noted that the share of unemployed workers flowing into employment has gone unchanged since last summer. Even the best estimates suggest about 25% of the unemployed workers will find jobs. So what will the other 75% turn to? The options are few, and most will impact the general public in a negative way: alcohol, drugs, and crime almost always follow. If your family is struggling because you didn't qualify for unemployment, and stimulus checks and child credits are still keeping you behind the eight ball....call us at the law office of T. Verner Smith. Through financial restructuring, debt resolution, or legal options including but not limited to bankruptcy, there are ways to relieve the pressure and chart a path to a better future. Don't be embarrassed, don't be hesitant, you are not alone, and taking action now is the smart approach. Call us at (731) 423-1888 and schedule a free consultation. |
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