COVID-19 Caused His Construction Site to Close, Leaving Him Unemployed
For the past seven years, Ramel Towles has been an active member of the Astoria Houses’ Jobs-Plus site. Being one of the first residents we served in the newly minted program, Urban Upbound helped Ramel maintain steady employment in the construction sector. Moreover, Ramel has worked with Urban Upbound to achieve four industry-recognized certifications, increasing his rank and pay. As recent as this past January, Ramel informed his Career Counselor that he would soon be eligible to join the union.
Unfortunately, last Wednesday morning, Ramel received a text message just minutes before his 7 AM shift, notifying him that his construction site was closing. The next text message coldly advised him to apply for unemployment benefits. Like the hundreds of thousands of other workers who’ve recently filed for unemployment benefits as a result of the U.S. economy’s crash and burn, Ramel has a bumpy road ahead of him. The weekly direct deposit from unemployment is equivalent to a third of his usual paycheck. Ramel’s monthly bills are more than his monthly income. He is now very stressed looking for employment while working with our financial counselors to identify additional income supports to make ends meet.
“[The COVID-19 Outbreak] has really affected my life. I just want things to go back to normal so that I can provide for my family,” Ramel told us.
In his search for employment, Ramel is open to a career change, noting the construction sector’s sensitivity to an economic recession. His Career Counselor is helping him attain employment in fields that are still strong and growing, including healthcare, educational services, technology, or transportation.
