Americans Are Getting Paid More Not to Work

Policymakers should be focused on helping Americans get safely back to work, including granting new flexibilities to allow workplaces to adjust to the conditions of COVID-19.

Humans are hard-wired to be productive. They will be far better off if policymakers focus on enabling work opportunities—such as removing barriers to working, trading, innovating, and investing—than on incentivizing unemployment.

[TheHeritageFoundation]

Let's hear your take. Do you think policymakers are incentivizing unemployment? Why or why not?

[DRAKKENFIRE]

We're already seeing this, and the MSM won't talk about it.

[isaacb.m.]

I'm just glad I have a independent company. I'm trying my best to hire anyone who is suffering from this Pandemic. And yes it is safe to work at.

[cultofeorzea]

It's almost as if wages are too low. Seriously. Production of the average worker has increased 200% and wages have stagnated. Stop blaming the government and average people for the problems that corps and lobbying cause.

[trentkenzler]

Since the rich are the biggest takers of social welfare, what the heck, through the working man a bone for once.

[ericbess]

Yep, and many Republicans warned that this would be the case when the Democrats insisted on it being in the bill. But since the Democrats had already stalled the bill for nearly a week by putting a ton of pet projects into the original bill, the Republicans eventually ended up having to either spend another week going through the bill line-by-line to make sure more pork didn't make it in, or they had to just pass the bill, knowing that some pork would have made it in in order to get necessary help to those Americans in financial jeopardy.


Many businesses weren't able to get financial assistance from the business loans soon enough and had to lay off their employees temporarily until that assistance came in. Then, when they did get the loan, they asked their employees to come back. In many cases, the workers refused to come back because they were making more on unemployment. When workers did return, they were resentful. But since many didn't and the loans being forgiven is contingent on paying employees, many businesses are likely going to be stuck having to pay these huge transition loans back because they weren't paying their employees and they weren't paying their employees because the employees refused to come back. It's a nightmare scenario for many small businesses.


In order to receive unemployment benefits, you are supposed to be looking for work. But there are apparently too many loopholes. When the employer that used to employ you comes back and offers you your same job at the same salary and you refuse to take it, that should disqualify someone from more unemployment benefits. But because they are now making an extra $600 every week, these people are asking for significantly higher salaries and then claiming that they cannot find a job that meets their financial needs - even though it is exactly the same job they had prior to this crisis.


So yeah, clearly the Democrats were either short-sighted or just plain evil when they put this into place. I would like to give them the benefit of the doubt, but when they are constantly having these things pointed out to them...and when Nancy Pelosi sees the harm it is causing and is now trying to extend this through January...it becomes harder and harder to give them the benefit of the doubt. The question is - are they deliberately trying to tank the economy just to make Trump look bad? Or are they doing it because they want everyone to depend on the government? Regardless, people need to wake up and realize that either the democrats are willing to do anything for power, or they are so incompetent that they destroy everything they touch. Either way, it is way too dangerous to have these Democrats in elected offices.

[veronicacordero]

Remember you will will be required to pay taxes on UIB

[oi]

It is not a problem if your employer calls you back to work and you decline they contact the State and you lose your unemployment benefits problem solved

[johnfiorentine]

To some extent maybe...but it’s temporary. I’m comfortable with it. I’m honestly more bothered by how many make so little that an extra $600 a week is a substantial increase in their weekly wages.

[bryanvincer]

Must be nice. I work at an “essential” job. I’m lucky to make $600 a month, let alone a week. FML

[lorishemlof]

Welfare should just have a yearly all assets test to pay to the asset poor including when working so not penalized working. Unemployed or disabled welfare was created by asset rich loafers so paid asset rich loafers not to work.

[scotstrump]

I don't suppose that will last as long as a real job though..

[Eveningbreeze]

Well people will use this as a case for increasing wages.

[mikeq]

I agree. Doesn't take an Einstein to figure it out.

[greatoutdoors]

Sane Americans just want this nut-case president put away