It’s been months since the CARES Act, which provided direct payments, unemployment bonuses, eviction protections, small business loans, and more, was passed. Nearly all of it has already or will soon expire.
But millions of Americans are still unemployed – including nearly twice as many Black Americans as white – or are facing eviction. Why hasn’t Congress been able to compromise on another stimulus bill?
One of the biggest issues they disagree on are liability protections for businesses. This is a very contentious issue. Why?
Liability protections would “make it more difficult for courts to find businesses, schools, or health-care facilities at fault if employees, students, or customers contracted Covid-19,” explains the Wall Street Journal.
Many State governors opened their economies back up before it was safe. Workers were then forced to return to unsafe workplaces or lose their jobs – and their unemployment benefits.
Liability protections favored by Republicans would make it so affected workers can’t sue their employers for putting their lives in danger.
Many small business owners, however, many of them Black Americans, were also forced to reopen or else close their businesses. Liability protections would protect them as well.
It’s not a simple issue. And unless Congress resolves it, or bypasses it to pass a pared-down bill, we might not see another stimulus bill any time soon.