Hawaiʻi should put unemployed to work

In a matter of weeks, Hawaiʻi went from having one of the nation’s lowest rates of unemployment to its highest. We have never faced a challenge like this before. In 1932, during the darkest days of the Great Depression, the Honolulu Advertiser reported that “10 percent of the employable persons on Oʻahu are out of work.” Today our unemployment rate is nearly four times as high.

Tourism’s return may take years, not months, because we need to ensure that visitors aren’t bringing new waves of the virus. Experts say a vaccine is a long way off, and plans to test tourists before they arrive will be difficult to implement.

After the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, it took over a year for TSA security measures to be implemented at U.S. airports. COVID-19 testing is likely to be far more complicated.

Most of our friends and neighbors who are suddenly without work will receive unemployment benefits to help with their basic bills. But we all know that a job is more than just a paycheck; it also gives our lives purpose. Numerous studies have demonstrated that high unemployment during the last recession led to health problems, psychological distress and suicides.

What, then, should we do if tourism is shut down for the near future? Give people work.