With unemployment benefits cut off in many states, Americans returned to work. Right?

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Critics blamed overly generous unemployment benefits for a labor shortage afflicting businesses and argued that ending the extra assistance would force many Americans to go back to work.

But that didn’t happen.

States that ended a federal boost to jobless benefits early experienced virtually the same drop in unemployment this summer as states that maintained the extra assistance, according to a new analysis.

From June to August, the jobless rate in states that cut off a weekly $300 federal supplement to state unemployment benefits dipped by 0.25%, compared with a 0.26% drop in states that continued the benefit, according to an analysis of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics by the Century Foundation, a progressive think tank.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/unemployment-benefits-cut-off-many-100136044.html

[kimbutgar]

1. My friends 37 year old daughter who worked as a movie theater manager

Decided she didn’t want to go back to work there and is in no hurray to work again. All that time off increased her bio polar, neurosis etc. I suspect there is a lot of people who developed mental illness and don’t want to go back to work.

One thing for sure TFG supporters really developed even more mental illness evidenced by the tantrums about wearing masks and getting the vaccine.

[EYESORE 9001]

6. One need not have mental illness

to have gotten tired of putting up with all the shit that employers have heaped upon underpaid, overworked employees for millennia.

[Kaleva]

7. Plus the crap they get from customers who treat them like minimum wage trash.

[underpants]

2. I'll throw out my points of interest - it will take years of data to find real answers

Let’s start with the fact that 700,000 people have died from COVID in the US. That has multiple ripples flowing from it including those who are long haul and those who need caregiving - that’s one+ out of the workforce.

Mental issues and substance abuse
This will takes YEARS to determine how many and who were effected. Virginia ABC stores (state run) have been selling at New Years Eve levels for 1 to 1 1/2 years. SA often follows mental issues but they could also have snowballed on people. Not regularly regarded as a mental health issue but there could be people who’ve gotten themselves into a physical position that they are ashamed of how they look of can’t fit into work attire anymore.

Day care
I have no idea what my wife and I would have done if we hadn’t had day care and we had to go into work. As I understand it, day care availability is diminished and price has risen quite a lot. This has been widely reported as a big factor in the return TO work.

Retirements and resignations
There was a massive drop in retirements and resignations in 2020 and apparently it’s rebounded and then some in 2021. Why retire or change jobs when you are working from home? Everyone stood completely still for a year. Also you can commute from one room to another and pick up another year of service toward retirement. These are mostly office type jobs. The Great Recession was only 12 years before COVID hit and there were certainly a lot of people who get stuck in jobs well below their education and experience. After something like the recession having a job that covers bills could have been a situation people got used to....until opportunities opened up. A lot of jobs are opening up that pull workers up or back into what we’re their levels or suitable careers.

Immigration
Another floating all boats like above. The decrease in immigration meant jobs “at the bottom” weren’t filled and those at those jobs have tons of opportunities to move up right now.

Ending on a positive mental element - a lot of people might have just said F IT I’m not working those shit jobs for shift managers anymore (retail and food service).

[jimfields33]

3. The thing that worries me is those that don't go

Back to work get a big zero under social security for the year. Everyone needs 40 years to get a decent social security check at 67. I know minimum is 10 years but that’s like 600 bucks a month.

[MichMan]

8. Same issue for those working for cash under the table and evading taxes

They think they are so smart gaming the system, but are going to in for a rude awakening come retirement time

[WHITT]

4. Big Surprise

Yet another failed Repub economic agenda falls flat on it's face.

[doc03]

5. I hear that in Ohio about every day, Republicans

blaming the $300 a week for labor shortage. DeWine stopped it back in July.