Oof.
Former 2020 presidential candidate and billionaire Michael Bloomberg is going back on his word to keep his staffers employed through November and is cutting them off without any health insurance during the coronavirus pandemic:
am I to understand that Michael Bloomberg broke his promise of yearlong employment to his campaign staffers and is now cutting them off from their healthcare in the middle of a pandemic? https://t.co/EDJeRPwJDK
— Matt Pearce ? (@mattdpearce) March 20, 2020
This really is a garbage move by the New York Dem:
“I am disgusted by Mike Bloomberg and his staff," one of the Bloomberg aides told POLITICO on Friday. "He has left us with no health insurance during this pandemic. I have a family and do not know what we will do at the end of the month." https://t.co/Q5nHKhKzQR
— Matt Pearce ? (@mattdpearce) March 20, 2020
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Even worse, one of the staffers is a confirmed COVID-19 case:
Scoop: Bloomberg camp staffers in NYC HQ were notified late last night of a confirmed COVID-19 case in the office, potentially exposing several dozen ppl who were laid off Fri. & are set to lose insurance Mar. 31st
Said one: "This is not how you treat ppl" https://t.co/oXUXyvzrMC pic.twitter.com/84eQw3iAki— Alex Thompson (@AlxThomp) March 20, 2020
Some staffers will get insurance through April, some through March:
Bloomberg battleground staffers will receive insurance through April but NYC HQ staff are only covered through March. The campaign recommended employees work from home for the next 14 days, spurring panic among some staffers given their health insurance will end in just 11 days
— Alex Thompson (@AlxThomp) March 20, 2020
An email alerted staffers to news at 11:03 last night:
The email came w/ the mundane subject line "Building Update- 229 West 43rd Street" and was sent at 11:03pm last night. The person who tested positive–unclear if it was a Bloomberg staffer or not–was last in the office Monday, according to human resources.
— Alex Thompson (@AlxThomp) March 20, 2020
“The campaign’s refusal to extend hc benefits is unconscionable”:
"Think about the potential of someone getting hospitalized on April 1, without coverage, fighting for their life and now being strapped with massive medical debt,” said an HQ staffer who fears they were exposed. “The campaign's refusal to extend hc benefits is unconscionable."
— Alex Thompson (@AlxThomp) March 20, 2020
We get that it makes tactical sense to go with the DNC rather than start his own super PAC, but shouldn’t he write a check himself?
Bloomberg is saying he's walking back his promise and firing people/cutting their insurance out of the concern that there are too many outside spending groups?
Fine.
He's welcome to pay all of his campaign staff salaries and benefits on a personal basis, no need for a campaign https://t.co/wSsH63KVUo
— Yashar Ali ? (@yashar) March 20, 2020
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