Really? I have friends - normal tech employees - who were telling me they were clearly at risk for not getting a paycheck. I think the story is quite a bit more complex than you say.
For the most part, that was almost certainly pure panic. Getting stoked by more and more people that should have known better than to push such a narrative.
I checked unemployment briefly during all the layoffs and the checks were just a fraction of my regular paycheck. Further, the process is arduous and takes a while before the first check is received. Even further, it’s not clear to me that one gets unemployment eligibility while still being employed just because there’s difficulty paying one’s normal check.
Your comment is very handwavey and lacks enough empathy to border on just cruel.
I mean I was laid off (and this ain't my first rodeo) so know exactly how unemployment works. In California, you get a check that represents a totally normal American wage and your kids will qualify for Medicare and probably you and your spouse will qualify for a reasonable market plan.
In my new state of Oregon, you again get a totally reasonable wage, my kids have better medical insurance I did when I was employed, and my wife and I qualify for extremely subsidized health insurance. Basically my mortgage is paid for and my kids and I are insured. It's time limited but six months is enough time to find another job and the healthcare is not time limited.
Realistically the us has a solid safety net. At least in all the states I've lived in, which are the ones most tech employees are in
Max unemployment insurance in California is $450/week. You can't even pay your rent on a bad apartment with that money unless you're sharing it with someone else.
Sounds like you should vote for better politicians then. Oregon has a lower tax burden overall but provides almost $800 / week in insurance. Seriously, your state has a democrat supermajority and a huge budgetary surplus. Where are your politician's priorities. Seemingly with large corporations instead of normal people.
