Myrtle Beach area, SC (WBTW) – Some lawmakers and business owners in our area worry the substantial increase in unemployment payments means some people will take longer to get back into the workforce after the pandemic.

Those who qualify for state unemployment benefits and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation from the federal government, will get an additional $600 dollars a week.

Additionally, those receiving unemployment benefits do not have to prove during the pandemic they are actively seeking a job; something difficult for many as most businesses are closed.

Those who qualify for Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) could see that payment as early as this week.

Unless lawmakers extend the program, it will end in July, but some worry what that will do to business owners if the economy is opened prior.

“Well the problem is, if those employees you want to keep on your payroll you’re going to offer them $17 dollars an hour, the state’s going to offer them $23 dollars an hour not to work,” Senator Lindsey Graham said. “That’s going to be a problem for the employer to keep his people on the payroll. Not get a pay raise.”

Larry Higgins owns BurgerFi in the Surfside Beach area, he tells News13 he agrees with Senator Graham and worries it will be hard to get people back to work before their benefits run out.

“The incentive is to stay home,” Higgins said. “Because they are making more money on unemployment.”

Higgins said he lost 80% of his business when dining rooms across the state had to close, but did his best to keep as many people working as possible. Still, he had to layoff 17 people; all of which he hopes to hire back, but worries about competitive pay when the pandemic passes.

“When it comes to wage and business as a whole, it’s competitive,” Higgins explained. “None of the people in my store make minimum wage, they are way above minimum wage because my feeling is, if i don’t pay them the right amount, they are going to work for somebody else. I’ve got to pay them right and I’ve got to treat them right.”

To learn more about unemployment benefits, click here.