According to the Labor Department’s latest tally, more than 14 million people were collecting benefits under the new program at the end of August. That’s more than were collecting regular unemployment benefits.
“Number one, that tells me that too few people qualify for regular unemployment insurance,” says Michele Evermore of the National Employment Law Project, which advocates for workers. “We actually probably do need a system that’s responsive to the changing nature of the workforce.”
Gig workers, like those who lost jobs during the pandemic, have already seen their benefits reduced. At the end of July, Snyder went from receiving $775 a week to just $175.
What’s more, unless Congress acts to extend it, this big new program is set to expire altogether at the end of this year.
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