Unemployment numbers, released each Thursday morning, show a continued slight decline in new claims for the week ending May 15. The total in need of assistance continues to grow above 30 million.
Resources for unemployment assistance:
- PA CareerLink COVID19 Employment Opportunities
Available job openings for those able and willing to work amid the shutdown. - PA Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program (PUA)
For self-employed, gig and 1099 workers. - File an Unemployment Claim
PA Office of Unemployment Compensation - File an Unemployment Claim
NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development - Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation
Frequent Asked Questions
Workers File 2.4 Million Unemployment Claims (Wall Street Journal)
I'll admit that before the pandemic, I did not realize that the Labor Department issued weekly statistics on unemployment claims - I only paid attention when the number was extremely high, extremely low, or garnered specific news. Now, the numbers have been consistently high for many weeks, but each Thursday morning I take a deep breath - it's millions of people who have newly lost a paycheck, or were suddenly able to file for assistance. Millions more households needing help.
Trump, McConnell Oppose HEROES Act Extension Of $2,400 Monthly Unemployment Benefit - Are They Correct That It Creates A Disincentive To Work? (Forbes)
The CARES Act's provisions add a financial increase to unemployment payments, and for a longer time. Many states, including Pennsylvania, have an additional fund as well. Yet there has been a continued rumble - grumble? - about paying people who have lost their jobs due to this crisis, a sort of incredulity that we're doing so. Somehow, the belief goes, a slightly better payment will make someone decide to stay unemployed. But - there are no jobs to get right now, so I'm not clear on how it's an individual's fault, or why we might decide they don't deserve assistance.
This article includes a good breakdown (and charts!) of unemployment claims and how we might evaluate the need for additional pay to workers who have no employment right now.
This article ends by asking the question: " “What happens if we let the federal booster expire and there isn’t enough labor demand to hire the unemployed?” That answer is a lot scarier."
Indeed.
3 Reasons Unemployment Is Already At Great Depression Levels (Forbes)
I'll end with this piece, which examines how our current way to present unemployment is grossly undercalculating the total, as we have mentioned before. True unemployment figures - beyond those who have filed claims, we have to consider people who have given up looking and aren't applying for assistance any longer; those who have significantly reduced hours; those who are self-employed but have no work - are much higher.
The CARES Act blog is intended to provide information and is accurate and true to the best of the author's knowledge. The author is not a legal, medical or financial professional and the information presented should not be considered advice and is for reference only. Lehigh Valley Public Media and its employees claim no liability for any actions taken by readers based on the information provided here.