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Millions To Lose Jobless Benefits Once Fed Program Expires
Millions of Americans will lose their jobless benefits or receive lower payments once the federal unemployment program expires this year. A mix of the expiry and state rules means that once the program ends, workers unable to find work will need to do so quickly.
RELATED: US Jobless Claims Fall Since Pandemic Began
End of Benefit Year
Many Americans will reach the end of their “benefit year,” the anniversary since they applied for assistance. Typically, state labor agencies will review any requests for assistance once jobless benefits reach this point. Officials will assess a worker’s recent earnings record to determine if the person qualifies for a new installment of benefits.
If yes, they will also recommend the appropriate amount. This puts workers that logged in little hours during the pandemic on the dock. Posting little earnings will likely lead to lower or no benefits at all.
The federal government’s response, the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, largely kept jobless benefits intact for those who lost jobs last year. This overruled the expiration of the benefit year and kept benefits steady.
However, the federal program ends nationwide after Labor Day. In fact, many Republican states already put an end to the program.
4.7 Million Americans
As of June 26, around 4.7 million people, or 33% of all recipients, already marked more than a year collecting jobless benefits. Determining the exact number will be difficult, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 2.9 million Americans were jobless for more than a year. However, it doesn’t mean they all collected jobless benefits.
Andrew Stettner is a senior fellow and unemployment expert at The Century Foundation, a progressive think tank. According to him, “Maybe there could be several hundred thousand, maybe 1 million at the high end [who’d qualify for benefits again].
And for everyone else, they’ll have to scramble to find a job, go on food stamps, use their savings. Rental assistance should still be available, but they won’t have cash income, really.”
Federal Jobless Benefits
Created by the CARES Act, the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program provides aid to workers during the lockdowns. The additional benefits supplemented the state aid that covered only up to 26 weeks.
Congress already extended the program’s duration twice as the pandemic end is yet out of sight. The most recent aid program, the American Rescue Plan, extended jobless benefits to September 6.
Meanwhile, twenty-two states decided to end federal unemployment assistance a few months ahead of the deadline. This included ending aid for the long-term unemployed. In addition, another four states opted to end a $300 weekly supplement to benefits as well.
Benefits Keeping Workers From Going Back To Their Jobs
Many state officials and business owners said that the federal jobless benefits caused Americans to choose to stay home instead of looking for work. However, many others defended the program.
Many pointed out that the ongoing health risks, increased child care needs, and low wages helped in the decision. The new surge in coronavirus cases, pushed by the Delta variant, will probably keep workers dependent on the unemployment system.
Watch the TNA Network video explaining that unemployment benefits were tax-free in 2020. Don't expect that in 2021:
Loading ...What do you think about the upcoming expiration of jobless benefits later this year? Do you think the pandemic will end soon? Or, do you think many Americans will still need jobless benefits given it’s not over yet.
Let us know what you think. Share your thoughts below.
25 Comments
I am a waitress who received benefits. Although it was great and necessary in the beginning, I think it should end simply because I personally know many businesses about to close for lack of employees while those still collecting refuse to return to work until the benefits end.
No one in their right mind would look for a job as long as our Socialist leaning Government pays them as much or more to set at home and get free money.
Our present Government quite simply sucks and is compromised by the CCP, most likely because of the Biden’s family back-room dealings with a communist regime.
Our elections have obviously been compromised. Why else would anyone object to thorough audits in questionable states, most of which lean Democrat.
God help America!
End all benefits by Sept 2021. People need to government hand outs are ridiculous and make people lazy! Work or starve!
This is what happens when a country loses its soul. No self pride, no dignity and no respect for our Republic. It’s now about give me-give me-give me self entitlement. I just hope on the other end of this Marxist communist experiment that there are still enough red blooded patriotic Americans to pull this country back from the abyss but as of right now I’m very doubtful of it!
I’m 69 years old. I live on my pitiful SSI. I hate what is happening in my country. Letting in aliens? Supporting them when we are having a huge homeless issue with our OWN???? I’m close to that myself and I hate it.
I worked all my life and for WHAT?????
I’m so depressed. And saddened by the state of our non protected country at this time….
I feared Communism as a youngster in the 50’s.
Now I live in a Commie-controlled county !!!!
It’s sad just because of the president that won fair and righteously we the people have to suffer why are we the people can’t come together and work things out before god take the world on home.
Here’s a clue too the mindless self diluted in Texas you still had to qualify for u/e benefits. As for the businesses ” Who in their right mind wants to put up with a narcissistic owner and an asshole customer for $2.75 an hour”! Hell; Most of you politically motivated sheeple aren’t kind enough to let someone pass on the freeway! You sure as hell aren’t hospitable enough to tip.. If business is going out of business let it fold I can assure you there’s a reason other then $300.00 causing staffing issues!
I think it’s time people get back to work!! Alot of lazy people out there can work! But don’t want to work as long as the government keeps supporting them and paying their bills,rent and food with food stamps and ebt cards and so on,
Government benefits should only be for handicap people who can’t work!! Not people that pretend to be disabled or or are just plain Lazy..! Work like the Rest of us Do!!!
Bring God back into this world!!
I’m just an old man. A little over ninety years ago, AMERICA, and the world were wracked by “The Great Depression “! What we’ve gone thru the last year and a half is nothing compared to that event, or the event of the pandemic called “The Spanish Flu” of 1918-1919!
The Federal government and President Franklin D Roosevelt started out trying SOCIALISM, the LITTLE BROTHER OF MARXIST COMMUNISM AS PRACTICED IN RUSSIA AND CHINA ! In every country, except for a few, that tried COMMUNISM ; most have failed to improve the citizens lives, and those citizens rose up and overthrew their COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT’S!
My neighbors have chosen to not work while they can get free money, housing,food stamps, and a welfare check. Now come on. I’ve been disable for years and denied. Yes DENIED so I waited til I was 62 to file for my SSI then they say sorry you must wait till you’re 63, so at 63 they said not you’re short a couple quarters you gotta wait till you’re 65. Well that’s a fine howdy doody.Then you say if an illegal aliens come in at 65 never putting a dime into a system that fractured and already misused by the government. SS was supposed to be if you wanted to and I believe matches to a certain point. Never was it suppose to be used by the government. Google it people. The history of SS. So stop giving free money to e1 it’s bound to affect my grandchildren and their children for a very long time. I see so much opioid abuse because ppl can sit home and buy more and more drug with free money. Then they put themselves in good bank list and even trade or sell that for more abuse and use of this free money. Not all ppl aren’t looking for jobs but you got to offer incentives for returning to work. Free medical or lower cost for policies. I haven put 100 miles on my car since the pandemic has the insurance companies offered us a break. Absolutely not. So make people go back to work. Put the homeless in empty building so they can get baths make good and get jobs. Slowly but surely they too can climb out of this hole.
If they want to eat make them go back to work! Stop the Aoc give away plan! Democrats are doing this for a vote in 22! Socialism doesn’t work as proven many times! Biden is a brain dead old fool that doesn’t know where he is most of the time! This is the reason Dr? Dread Biden has to make many of his speaking engagements! This whole administration is the laughing stock of the WORLD! While we sit back and watch the Chinese, Russians and Squad backed Iranians are slowly infiltrating OUR country! Just maybe the Democrats that are tired of their administration ruining our Country will stand with the True Republicans and help stop this ruination of MY COUNTRY!
As long as the dems. are in the white house and congress the cocid-19 will continue
i see far too many people that can work and around here in upstate ny there are so many companies that desperatley need help that can not get staff because these lazy people would rather sit home and live off the govt. i got furloughed for 6 weeks at the start of this pandemic and got called back after the six week period and was happy to go. was receiving over $900.00 a week in benefits and was bored out of my mind. could not go anywhere or do anything other than shop for groceries and take walks.
They got to much already end it NOW
There are many jobs available. I have gone so far as to relocate for employment several times in my life time, Evan as far as living in my vehicle until I was able to get on my feet. The man whom does not work will find himself with many needs. Why should tax payers pay the Unemployed if they are able to work?
It should have never beem paid. Politicians, in particular, Congress, Senate, Presisent, Governor’s, etc should not have collected 1 cent while Americans sufferwd through Fauci & the dems plandemic. All I knownis this government, and many around the world are wholely incompetent. We had a bad flu and no one knew what to do and everyone played politics. God forbid aliens attacked, another country or zombies show up. We now know we’re on our own. Dr.’s are playing politician, pokiticians are playing Dr. It’s a cute game and we are all the game pieces.
Get a job!!! I worked my whole life and raised five responsible children. Myself and my children never took a day off. Am I wrong in raising them like that. I love the USA but I don’t think this country is going the right way. You should not get everything for nothing!!!👍🐾❤️
You know reading all these comments on here people saying get rid of the benefits are ones that didn’t lose their job and now with the pandemic coming back again what will they say when they lose their jobs? Stop sending money over other countries to help those people when people in the United States are the ones who need to help !!!!
Enhanced benefits was a rediculous idea from the beginning. Maybe a little extra for the working poor but not for the masses. People need to work and produce! I could have gone on disability years ago but decided to change my occupation so that I could continue to work. As a country we need to change our work ethic or we can kiss our freedom goodbye. Thank God I live in a conservative state that didn’t shut down the economy.
Our response to the “pandemic” has been neither reasonable nor rational. I lost my job in education spring of 2020. I did receive a check in the first round of aid, and promptly donated it to the Republican Party. There never should have been a second, or third… By the time school started last fall, we knew enough about this virus to return to school with out masks. Even though I live in a locked down state, I Haven’t worn a mask in public since Oct. Businesses such as, Sprouts and Costco lost my business because they enforced the mask mandate. Most businesses did not enforce the mask rule. I have researched this virus from sources other than gov’t agencies, assessed my risk and act accordingly. That is reasonable and rational. Think for yourselves folks lest we lose our freedom forever. Get out there work, you’ll feel better!
It’s about time! Enough of this “suck on this big government tit long enough and you won’t be able to wean yourself off,” which is EXACTLY what the Dems. want. We’ve given so many of these lazy-asses people so much for so long that it makes me sick! If you want to eat, get off your lazy ass and get a job. They’re everywhere. You socialist commy pukes can go straight to hell, and I hope you starve if you won’t work!
biden letting letting millons of people from mexico come here ,cause they need more cheaters to vote ,without a id or social security card … sicking to see what the communist goverment is doing to stay in power ,,,not for you ,no ..for there selfs .by paying people to look the other way …yeah as long they pay you …there your guy ..right . your sorry ….
I need the congress to pay what they owe me