Big decision looming for Boeing employees this week

With Boeing opting to extend its suspension of Puget Sound production operations indefinitely, thousands of workers will soon be scrambling for paychecks.

Boeing move to shut down Puget Sound production is unprecedented

Boeing’s 10 days of paid leave for those who cannot work from home will end on Wednesday. That leaves about 30,000 employees with very tough decisions to make.

Workers can use any combination of sick days or vacation time to keep getting paid while the plants are closed. If they don’t have any time accrued, they can also file for unemployment benefits. That said, the unemployment office has been swamped by new claims, so it could take a while for those benefits to kick in.

Those employees who have been working from home will continue to do so.

All employees will continue to receive their medical benefits during the shutdown, whether they are working or not.

Boeing is also using volunteer employees at the closed plants to maintain essential services. Deep cleaning at the plants will also continue.

Puget Sound Pilots keep cargo and passengers moving during pandemic

The decision to suspend Puget Sound production came shortly after 32 Boeing employees tested positive for the coronavirus — 25 of them in Puget Sound, 18 of them in Everett. Boeing said the closure was not a direct response to the recent death of a 787 line employee, but to keep the outbreak from spreading.

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