Katie Morgan spent 17 years building her dream business. Now, because of the novel coronavirus outbreak and California public health orders, she’s worried that hard work will soon go down the drain. “Everything changes day to day,” Morgan explained. “What was normal is no longer normal – except for the cleaning.”The mother of three owns Salon M in Carmichael.
Source: Federal unemployment benefits set to expire this weekend
But after Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered hair salons to close again in July, Morgan is concerned she may have to shut down for good. She could opt to move operations outdoors and offer haircuts outside, but the cost of the extra equipment, combined with the hot weather, have not made it a feasible option.
“I’m pretty disappointed that I’m in an industry that’s being forced to be closed, and there’s not really any help that’s going to come for us,” Morgan said, adding that she wishes the state would consult with real people from her industry before making blanket decisions that could put countless people out of business.
Morgan reopened her claim for unemployment benefits this month shortly after Newsom ordered salons to shut back down.
But it could only get harder for people like Morgan before it gets easier. In March, Congress allocated federal relief for the unemployed, providing an extra $600 per week on top of state jobless benefits. That additional funding ends this weekend, which means less for struggling families.
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