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Why hasn't Congress fixed unemployment insurance?

Dec 17, 2020
Congress was able to pass the CARES Act quickly, but its benefits expire Dec. 26. Will they be extended?
Congress has known what's wrong with unemployment insurance for decades.
Olivier Douliery/Contributor Getty Images

Unemployment claims up again, hitting nearly 900,000 last week

Dec 17, 2020
Nine months after the viral pandemic first paralyzed the economy, many employers are still slashing jobs.
A diner sits closed in Brooklyn on Dec. 9 in New York City.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Losing a job hasn't translated to losing health care — so far

Dec 16, 2020
Most people who've lost jobs during the pandemic didn't get health insurance at work.
Doctors test hospital staff at a triage center in New York early in the pandemic.
Misha Friedman/Getty Images

How extending unemployment benefits leads to a stronger recovery

Dec 10, 2020
When workers can use unemployment benefits to cover their basic needs, policy expert Alix Gould-Werth says they’re able to find better paying jobs.
People lined up for unemployment applications in Hialeah, Florida, in April.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Unemployment claims hit highest mark since September

Dec 10, 2020
The 853,000 new applications are evidence that some companies are cutting more jobs as new virus cases spiral higher.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Pandemic makes Public Service Loan Forgiveness more difficult

Dec 9, 2020
For people pursuing student loan forgiveness, getting laid off means they're no longer able to make qualifying payments for PSLF.
Nearly 25% of people with student loans working in nonprofits or public service have had a significant change in their work situation during the pandemic, according to a recent survey from TIAA.
BrianAJackson/iStock via Getty Images

U.S. sees hiring slowdown for fifth consecutive month

Dec 4, 2020
U.S. employers added a modest 245,000 jobs as the spread of coronavirus continues to intensify.
There are plenty of things holding people back from taking a bevy of available jobs.
Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

Fewer employers, less work spell trouble for job market

Dec 4, 2020
It's employees of small businesses who are most at risk, according to one payroll processor.
A pedestrian wearing her facemask and holding a cup of coffee walks past a closed sign hanging on the door of a small business in Los Angeles on Nov. 30, 2020.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

Unemployment claims still elevated as COVID-19 cases escalate

Dec 3, 2020
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell last week to a still-high 712,000.
Outdoor dining is closed at the Citadel Outlets in Los Angeles, Calif., on Nov. 30, 2020, after Los Angeles County banned outdoor dining in an attempt to stem the latest surge in coronavirus cases.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

An unemployed bartender’s search for work and stability

Dec 2, 2020
“There’s just a lot of people applying for not a lot of jobs,” says Neil Cairns of Portland, Oregon.
With many bars and restaurants closed or struggling to stay open, there's stiff competition for jobs in the industry.
Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images