Too forgiving

To the editor,

There is still a serious problem for small business owners and self-employed business owners. The legislation which Congress just passed provides loan forgiveness if an employer re-hires or keeps employed the business’s former employees. But what happens if the employees refuse to be rehired?

Before I retired I tried to hire a paralegal/ secretary for my office. I surveyed other firms, determined the going rate, and offered the job to the two best qualified applicants. Both refused, saying that they were getting more money from unemployment and other governmental benefits than we were offering to pay them.

The legislation Congress just passed provides $600 per week in unemployment benefits on top of what Connecticut already pays, so workers can receive $1,000 a week or a little bit more. That’s $52,000 a year, plus other benefits such as food stamps, etc. Why would someone return to work for an employer paying $45,000 to $50,000 per year, or less, when they can get $52,000 and more from the government?

When the former employees refuse to return to work, they will each continue to get $1,000 a week, or more, but the former employer will have no income and a loan which must be repaid. Is this fair? Charles Pirro

Norwalk