Where States Are and Where They Should Be on Unemployment Protections
Many states’ unemployment insurance programs are significantly underprepared for the next recession, threatening the economic security of middle- and low-income workers, according to a new report from the Center for American Progress. Where States Are and Where They Should Be on Unemployment Protections finds that in 2015 many states’ programs protected fewer than 20 percent of unemployed workers, and that strict eligibility requirements have disproportionate effects on women and minority workers. The report calls for expanded job training programs, broader eligibility for cash assistance during periods of unemployment, and immediate federal investment in workforce development.