June 17, 2021

Unemployment Pays How Much?

In 21 states, individuals on unemployment can pull in $25 an hour.

There are 9.3 million job openings currently in the U.S. labor market. In other words, there are plenty of jobs to be had for anybody seeking one. But that’s just the problem — few people without jobs are seeking work.

The catalyst for this particular situation falls primarily at the feet of the federal government with its overly “generous” COVID unemployment benefits. The federal government’s “temporary” $600 per week unemployment supplement — in addition to existing state-level unemployment payments — has effectively disincentivized working for a living. Yet it might be even worse than anyone knew, at least according to a newly released study from the Committee to Unleash Prosperity.

The study highlights include some doozies:

  • In 21 states and DC, households can receive wage equivalent of $25 an hour in benefits with no one working.

  • In 19 states, benefits are equivalent to $100,000 a year in salary for a family of four with two unemployed parents.

  • In all but two of the blue states, $300 Supplemental Unemployment Insurance benefits plus other welfare pay more than the wage equivalent of a $15 minimum wage.

According to University of Chicago economics professor Casey Mulligan and Texas Public Policy Foundation economist Stephen Moore, “It is now nearly beyond dispute that supplemental unemployment benefits are reducing employment.” Moreover, they assert, “If Congress or the remaining states were to suspend the weekly benefit supplement, several million more workers would gain employment over the summer months.” Which is precisely what the economy needs.

Incentivize working via income, and people will go find jobs; incentivize not working by giving government payouts, and people will sit at home. That in turn means they become a drag on the economy while at the same time ensuring that the cost of living goes up for everyone. Never mind the ever-growing national debt. Other than that, what’s not to like?

Who We Are

The Patriot Post is a highly acclaimed weekday digest of news analysis, policy and opinion written from the heartland — as opposed to the MSM’s ubiquitous Beltway echo chambers — for grassroots leaders nationwide. More

What We Offer

On the Web

We provide solid conservative perspective on the most important issues, including analysis, opinion columns, headline summaries, memes, cartoons and much more.

Via Email

Choose our full-length Digest or our quick-reading Snapshot for a summary of important news. We also offer Cartoons & Memes on Monday and Alexander’s column on Wednesday.

Our Mission

The Patriot Post is steadfast in our mission to extend the endowment of Liberty to the next generation by advocating for individual rights and responsibilities, supporting the restoration of constitutional limits on government and the judiciary, and promoting free enterprise, national defense and traditional American values. We are a rock-solid conservative touchstone for the expanding ranks of grassroots Americans Patriots from all walks of life. Our mission and operation budgets are not financed by any political or special interest groups, and to protect our editorial integrity, we accept no advertising. We are sustained solely by you. Please support The Patriot Fund today!


The Patriot Post and Patriot Foundation Trust, in keeping with our Military Mission of Service to our uniformed service members and veterans, are proud to support and promote the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, both the Honoring the Sacrifice and Warrior Freedom Service Dogs aiding wounded veterans, the National Veterans Entrepreneurship Program, the Folds of Honor outreach, and Officer Christian Fellowship, the Air University Foundation, and Naval War College Foundation, and the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation. "Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one's life for his friends." (John 15:13)

★ PUBLIUS ★

“Our cause is noble; it is the cause of mankind!” —George Washington

Please join us in prayer for our nation — that righteous leaders would rise and prevail and we would be united as Americans. Pray also for the protection of our Military Patriots, Veterans, First Responders, and their families. Please lift up your Patriot team and our mission to support and defend our Republic's Founding Principle of Liberty, that the fires of freedom would be ignited in the hearts and minds of our countrymen.

The Patriot Post is protected speech, as enumerated in the First Amendment and enforced by the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, in accordance with the endowed and unalienable Rights of All Mankind.

Copyright © 2024 The Patriot Post. All Rights Reserved.

The Patriot Post does not support Internet Explorer. We recommend installing the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, or Google Chrome.