The Bay Area Council on Tuesday released a survey showing that 71% of its members want the shelter-in-place order lifted within the next 30-days to reopen the economy while also showing 94% wanting it lifted within two-months.
The survey highlighted how 60-percent of businesses have already laid off workers under the shelter-in-place aimed at slow the spread of COVID-19.
Already, 17 percent of businesses said they have laid off workers since the shelter-in-place orders took effect. Another 5 percent said they could hold out another two weeks before handing out pink slips, while almost 12 percent expect to start laying off workers in a month and 25 percent said two months is the maximum they can go before reducing their workforces. About 40 percent of businesses said they could go up to a year before layoffs are required.
“We strongly support the aggressive actions taken by Governor Newsom and county health officials to establish rigorous rules and shelter-in-place requirements designed to slow the spread of Covid-19. Many lives have been saved. But, employers are reaching a tipping point in their ability to withstand the severe economic effects of the shutdown,” said Jim Wunderman, President and CEO of the Bay Area Council. “Public health and defeating COVID-19 must be a top priority, but we also need a clear plan for how we can begin responsibly to reopen the economy in phases over the coming weeks and months. Already we are seeing encouraging signs that the shelter-in-place restrictions are starting to work. As we continue to make progress in battling COVID-19 we must make similar progress in restarting our economy and getting people back to work.”
More than 72 percent of businesses surveyed described the economic toll from the COVID-19 shutdown as severe (46%) or very severe (26%), with declines in business revenue for the year projected to reach an average of about 25% and some businesses reporting possible revenue declines of higher than 50%.
Despite the economic pain, businesses largely supported the early actions taken by public health and other public officials in response to COVID-19. The survey found that almost 80 percent of businesses characterized the Bay Area’s response as “just right,” with almost 14% saying the response had gone overboard.
The survey was completed by 178 Bay Area Council member companies representing a wide array of businesses and industries.
