Shutting down the state for 3 weeks has put the economy down in many ways, in addition to taking jobs away from many working teenagers and adults.

“After the shutdown, I was very worried because I have a few monthly payments. It worries me when my hours at work were cut very low, so the adults with children and Mortgage payment wouldn’t lose as much money; I am making about half the amount of money I usually do,” senior Megan Morris said. 

There’s two ways to look at this: a teen struggling to make ends meet—like their phone bill insures or car payment—or teens that work for something to do, so the shutdown doesn’t affect them.

“After the governor shut down for 3 weeks, I wasn’t really that upset about the lockdown. I only work a few days a week and I only have a few small payments a month, so really the lockdown didn’t have a huge effect on me,” senior Megan Deladurantaye said.

Having a scarce amount of money can be financially very stressful. When Governor Gretchen Whitmer put Michigan on a three week pause to reduce the spread of Coivd-19, people who work in restaurants got their hours cut back. Restaurants closed for only carryout and outdoor seating only; bars or restaurants with inside seating are losing lots of income because dining in is the main way to bring in money.

“After the governor shut the restaurants down for dine in, we lost about 75 percent of our business. Our restaurant is known for our great breakfast foods. On Saturday and Sunday morning was when we brought in the most money and our waitresses would make good money in tips; now the girls barely come home with anything. Our wages had to also change and the restaurant was affected by that too,” Country Inn General Manager Gregg Lada said.

If a worker was affected by the shutdown financially, they could be a candidate for unemployment benefits. There’s certain requirements to meet for wages earned or time worked during an established period of time.

“During this time my hours were cut down and I had a hard time finding new work and getting more hours. To help me get through this tough time, I applied for unemployment to help make ends meet; it’s super easy to apply for and I benefited from a little extra money to help with my financial responsibilities,” Morris said .

To apply for unemployment benefits, go to Labor and Economic Opportunity – Unemployment Insurance Agency (michigan.gov), create an account and set it up. Stay in the system, so help is there during hard times like these.