Joy Melegrito has worked in hotels for seven years, the last two years at The Kahala Hotel & Resort.
Like many hotel workers, she was on leave in 2020 and struggled to get her unemployment benefits.
“I was really afraid of getting stuck in default on my bills,” said Melegrito. “It’s really stressful to think that I can’t pay my bills right away.”
Melegrito’s husband was able to work during the pandemic, but his hours were cut to two or three days a week. She says she is continually concerned about the rising bills and the thought that her family might be evicted.
But this year there was a glimmer of hope for a short time. Domestic travelers returned to the islands in droves from March to August. The state hospitality industry had to ramp up quickly to meet demand and bring back workers like Melegrito.
She said she was called back to work in May, at the start of the summer travel season.
“When I got back to work I felt happy because I thought it was going to take forever or I mean getting the schedule all the time,” she said.
During that time, she says, she was able to catch up on her bills and rent payments – and afford more food for her husband and daughter.
But that didn’t take long.
In August, a surge in new reported COVID-19 cases and hospital stays resulted in Governor David Ige urging visitors not to enter the state.
On August 22nd, Melegrito says she saw her work schedule change.
“When I saw I was getting on call, I thought, ‘Oh my god, I’ll end up on a worse schedule again.’ And then I get bills again that I have to pay, and then it’s really stressful. “
Melegrito says that on call means she can be called to work for a few days within a week.
The State’s Largest Hospitality Union, Unite Here! Local 5 says around 30% of its members have either been on leave or their hours have been cut since August.
While August through November is traditionally an off-season for government tourism, businesses and hoteliers have seen a dramatic decline compared to other slower seasons before the pandemic.
In a statement, representatives from the Kahala Hotel confirmed slower business and shorter working hours – and said, “…
Melegrito is not only worried about her situation, but also about her colleagues. She says she is currently helping one of her coworkers get rental assistance from the city and county of Honolulu.
“I’m so worried about her because she thinks about being homeless and there is [no] to eat, ”she said.
While Law 57 of the state requires landlords and tenants to seek mediation prior to an eviction process, there may be little hope due to the phasing out of federal pandemic unemployment benefits.
While the city still has a rental support program, Melegrito says it is concerned that it may not be able to get any help. Primarily because the city’s program limits its application windows and these applications take time to process. This is the time Melegrito may not have.
“Almost a month in which I haven’t been hired or taken out on unemployment insurance,” she said. “Only my husband works two days, three days a week. And I’ve got three months off my electricity bill, and really, I’m so worried because I have a daughter.”
Meanwhile, Melegrito hopes heads of state will extend unemployment benefits in the context of a pandemic.
A spokesman for the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations says that while the unemployment insurance program is a federal-state partnership, the state had no role in terminating the programs or the authority to pay extended benefits beyond the eligibility period.
