The governors of Alabama, Mississippi, and Iowa have joined leaders of Arkansas, South Carolina, and Montana in announcing they will end participation in a federal unemployment program that gives workers an additional $300 per week. This affects millwrights because our jobs are often temporary, and we typically receive unemployment benefits between projects.
The governors who are ending the extra payments argue the additional income is discouraging people from looking for work. But research does not back this claim. Studies have shown that many people receiving extra benefits return to work before the benefits expire and people receiving generous benefits find jobs at a higher rate than others. President Biden reiterated yesterday that existing laws require those receiving unemployment benefits to search for work and accept suitable jobs.
Read more: