LIFE IN THE TIME OF THE CORONAVIRUS
My Rich Boss Wanted to Pay Me Off the Books. Now I Can’t Get Unemployment.
Some wealthy New York families escaped the city to ride out the pandemic in the Hamptons, leaving childcare workers out of a job and with few options
Life in the Time of the Coronavirus is a GEN series where we are interviewing people across the country who have had their lives upended or are experiencing the stress of the unknown.
This anonymous 30-year-old from New York City worked as a nanny for two separate families before the coronavirus outbreak. In March, she lost both of her jobs after the city went into lockdown, and one of her families opted to shelter-in-place at their second home in the Hamptons. The nanny was primarily paid in cash, meaning she is unable to prove her job status and is therefore ineligible for unemployment benefits.
I’ve nannied for about 10 years now. I started when I was in college as a part-time thing to get the bills paid. After college, it turned into a full-time job. It was harder for me to explore other options at the time because the money was really good. I don’t want to say I’m stuck, but it has kind of been the same routine for the last 10 years.
