Naples, FL — On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Labor announced increases in this week’s initial unemployment claims. The increase in initial claims is driven by the 4.9 percent increase in claims that states continuing unemployment bonuses experienced. Meanwhile, states that have ended unemployment bonuses saw a 3.2 percent decrease in initial unemployment claims.
This week marks the fourth consecutive week initial claims have dropped in states that announced their plan to end participation in the $300 weekly unemployment bonus. In fact, the states that actually ended their participation in federal unemployment bonus programs last week saw initial claims decrease by nearly 10 percent.
“State leaders are proving that ending enhanced unemployment bonuses can reignite the economic recovery for workers and businesses alike,” said Hayden Dublois, Senior Research Analyst at FGA. “This recent report highlights how ending the bonus will help get unemployed individuals back into the workforce quickly, help fill the record number of open jobs, and ensure small businesses can thrive.”
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The Foundation for Government Accountability is a non-profit, multi-state think tank that specializes in health care, welfare, and work reform. To learn more, visit TheFGA.org
