How Unemployment Insurance Abroad Compares To The U.S.

The number of Americans filing for unemployment insurance soared to 38.6 million this past week, even as some states and cities attempt to re-open their economies from Covid-19 lockdowns. Other hard-hit countries, like Spain and Germany, have a different way of handling unemployment insurance compared to the patchwork system in the United States. Here's how the social safety net for workers in America compares to other systems around the world.

Correction (May 23, 2020): The title for Jeremy Pilaar misstates his current role. He’s a former fellow at the San Francisco Affirmative Ligation Project.


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How Unemployment Insurance Abroad Compares To The U.S. System

[BookofFuture]

It’s socialism for the rich and well-connected. It’s capitalism and bootstraps for everyone else.

[lootrpv]

I'm not sure that's a fair comparison with Spain, Sweden, and Germany. Since healthcare and education are considered rights there, many unemployed people even without government support can be better off than Americans on minimum wages (thinking medical loans, student debt, being able to afford life-saving medication like insulin, etc.)...

[WhiskeryMage]

In the world's richest country millions of people have to beg for food after 8 weeks of unemployment. Disgrace.

[TexasBoyDrew]

Watching this from France, I am glad we went on strikes to defend our rights, I feel bad for Americans who are hard-working people too but aren't protected against bad times like us. Stay strong fellas.

[ericburton]

Maybe America should just stop bragging ALL the time of how exceptionally great it is. Pride always comes before the fall

[blueman]

The biggest issue is that red states have for years made it as difficult as humanly possible for people to apply for and get unemployment benefits.

[andyb]

The unemployment system in the United States is extremely weak compared to other countries

[silvertortoise]

600 a week is more then a lot of Americans make in a week.

[whenallissaiddonewaisad]

Another weakness of the US system is that people like me who were in-between jobs in late february and early march not directly due to the pandemic are NOT COVERED and therefore those people are unemployed but don't qualify for either their state unemployment nd the PUA. Why aren't more news outlets covering this gap in the law and why haven't/aren't the House and Senate being pressured to fix this gap?

[Corbets]

I think I’m glad I don’t live in the USA.

[Firebirdca]

Here in Canada the federal government looks after out unemployment not the provinces or as you call in the U.S. states, we can receive up to $575.00 per week country wide.. Weekly payments range from 14 to 45 weeks depending on the region that is hit hard.
A percentage is taken out of our weekly paycheck plus the employer pays a percentage. An the fund doesn't go broke the government looks after any shortfalls in these hard times.

[pmjbacon]

It is the startling lack of any social conscience or safety net in the USA that has the world dumbfounded... everything for just a few; people really had no idea till now how sad it was for most Americans and not even themselves.

[Reconseal]

Unemployment insurance is good for now but after July its gonna be like collecting loose change off the floors.

[technojunkie]

I've always been disappointed in how lacking and disjointed the US social saftey nets have been compared to other first world countries given the fact we're one of (if not the most?) richest countries in the world. In the US so many decried other first world countries saftey net systems as a burden on taxpayers (despite the magnitude we allow corporations to get away with tax shielding & bailouts) and now it's come back to bite us. Now the US is scrambling to figure out how to implement new social safety nets, and we'll be so much less prepared to go back to normal compared to other developed countries. How sad.

[sameekhan]

I'm ok with huge safety nets. We live already with corporate socialism if they get money regular people should too.

[ebereogbuka]

Am yet to receive my UI (New Jersey)after six weeks of application. Every effort to communicate with a representative is fruitless.

[oz]

According to Americans, it's definitely NOT the greatest country in the world. Perhaps 50 yrs ago it was... Not even close today. Far and falls behind nearly any G7 nation. Just a dream now.

[christopherchilton-smith]

Fed says actual unemployment numbers are around 22 - 23% and expected to rise.

[mylifeisamememylifeispathe]

I'm telling you right now those jobs are not going to call everyone back we know this and yet Turtle man Mitch is saying no more unemployment 🙄

[shirhan]

I live in the UK, I am lucky to get 80% of my salary paid by the government through furlough. This will be until end of June. Perfect time to work on my side hustle that I was working on prior to the pandemic and get paid.