Businesses across the nation are struggling to recover in the wake of the pandemic. But the federal government’s unemployment bonus is making it more difficult: it’s more lucrative for people to stay home instead of finding work. Because of this, businesses like Kiki’s Chicken and Waffles in Columbia, South Carolina struggle to find enough staff to operate.
Kiki Cyrus, business owner and founder of Kiki’s Chicken and Waffles, speaks here about the ripple effect of pandemic-related increases to unemployment benefits. She says they aren’t helping businesses like hers at all.
This is the first in a series about how unemployment bonuses are harming real business owners across America. Learn more about how states can work harder to help small businesses recover here.