What Is the Incentive to Go Back to Work?

As we are starting to reopen the state, and businesses are able to open, though on a limited-capacity basis, I saw a press release from the Montana Department of Labor & Industry and I just can't wrap my mind around it.

The nuts and bolts of the press release: 13 more weeks of UI benefits are available. So, now those that were furloughed or laid off or lost their jobs because of COVI-19 have an additional 13 weeks of unemployment, and they are also eligible for the additional $600 a week. Alright, so short of offending the masses, I really have to ask WTF?

I get that there are those that lost income because of all of this. Let's face it who the hell didn't? I'm curious how this will affect the Paycheck Protection Program for businesses. Part of my problem (yes, we'll call it a problem) is that you have all of these "essential workers" who have been working every day doing their jobs and I don't mean just doctors, nurses, police and firemen, but all of those other "essential works", and they get what? NOTHING! Well, actually that's not true. They get their regular pay, in some cases, it would have been better financially if they'd have gotten laid off or lost their jobs. But they want to work, isn't that what we should do? Maybe I just don't understand it, but I see this additional 13 weeks of UI Benefits as problematic.