#work
“The best social program is a job.”– President Ronald Reagan
This statement rings true today. Unemployment benefits are still available to those who need them, but now that plenty of jobs are available, those receiving the benefits should be actively looking for work.
To encourage people to return to work, more states are making it harder for people to stay on unemployment. Many blame the easy benefits that followed the VirusCasedemic, including what is now a $300/wk supplemental federal payment on top of state benefits. The argument is that people make more money staying home than going back to work.
Several states have begun requiring those receiving unemployment benefits to show they are actively searching for work, and a few will stop providing the additional federal supplement.
Monday, the state of New Hampshire reopened its job centers for the 1st time since the VirusCasedemic hit to help people looking for work, but just a handful of people showed up in the 1st few hours at the largest one in Manchester.
Labor experts say the shortage is not just about the $300 payment. Some unemployed people also have been reluctant to look for work because they fear catching the coronavirus. Others have found new occupations rather than return to their old jobs. Plus, many women, especially working mothers, have had to leave the workforce to care for children.
The details and the timing of the state-led efforts to get people back to work differ, but they are coming from states led by both Republicans and Democrats.
In addition to Vermont, states reinstating the work-search requirement include Arizona, Maine, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and South Carolina.
Arkansas, Mississippi, Montana and South Carolina are planning to stop accepting the $300 benefit.
Have a healthy day, Keep the Faith!
