Do Jobless Benefits Deter Workers? Some Employers Say Yes. Studies Don’t.
The $600-a-week jobless benefit supplement has been widely credited with keeping the economy functioning through the coronavirus pandemic. With the supplement, most unemployed workers got more than they had earned in wages; without it, they fell short of their previous income. So did the supplement simply provide a lifeline, or did it discourage people from taking jobs? The answer has consequences for tens of millions of Americans, particularly those on the lower end of the income ladder; for businesses trying to restore their operations; and for an economy that largely depends on the lifeblood of consumer spending. But the relief is not only a matter of contention among business owners; it is also at the center of an acrimonious debate in Congress that has held up agreement on a new aid package. For most people collecting unemployment benefits, there are simply no jobs. Roughly half of the 22 million jobs that evaporated with the coronvirus outbreak have not yet returned. But what about those who declined to return to a previous job, or take a new one? Turning down a job offer to stay on unemployment insurance is considered fraud.
It depends on their existing salary. The benefit would not cover the full income of the highest earners, however, lower income earners were definitely seeing a big boost in pay. For them there was no advantage of getting back to work. Another twist is that many had difficulties getting the benefit and those people would be more inclined to try and find a job.
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