Here's How "Saturday Night Live" Is Handling Having A Live Audience During The Pandemic:
The show is cutting audience members a check for $150
https://www.buzzfeed.com/marissamuller/saturday-night-live-paying-audience-during-pandemic
Saturday Night Live audience members were paid to attend show in New York:
TV productions in New York are currently not allowed to host live audiences unless they consist of employees, cast members or staff
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/snl-audience-live-paid-new-york-coronavirus-rules-jim-carrey-chris-rock-b854582.html
'SNL' Audience Members Were Paid to Attend Show as if They Were Crew
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/snl-audience-members-were-paid-to-attend-show-as-if-they-were-crew
‘Saturday Night Live’ paid audience $150 to get past state COVID-19 rules
https://nypost.com/2020/10/06/snl-paid-audience-150-to-get-past-state-covid-19-regulations/
Because. as everyone knows, if you're a paid employee, the virus won't infect you.
So, SNL is not only fighting the unemployment caused by the pandemic, they're also protecting the audience from the virus by employing them as "crew" during the show.