U.S. Chamber Calls for Ending $300 Weekly Supplemental Unemployment Benefits

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released the April jobs report, which highlighted a growing shortage of available workers, and an unexpected increase in the employment rate, amid other findings.

In response to the jobs report, U.S. Chamber executive vice president and chief policy officer Neil Bradley released the following statement calling for an end to the $300 weekly supplemental unemployment benefits to address these labor shortages:

“The disappointing jobs report makes it clear that paying people not to work is dampening what should be a stronger jobs market. We need a comprehensive approach to dealing with our workforce issues and the very real threat unfilled positions poses to our economic recovery from the pandemic. One step policymakers should take now is ending the $300 weekly supplemental unemployment benefit.  Based on the Chamber’s analysis, the $300 benefit results in approximately one in four recipients taking home more in unemployment than they earned working.”

Nine states have announced that they will end participation in the federal unemployment bonus program by the end of June.