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Modernizing the Unemployment Insurance System to Better Respond to Economic Downturns

An assessment of the Unemployment Insurance (UI) program by Till von Wachter, Professor of Economics at the University of California, Los Angeles. UI is the largest safety net program for working-aged adults in the United States. This examination was valuable pre-COVID, and even more important given the precipitous increase in unemployment and the number of people seeking help from the UI program during the pandemic. This assessment also considers changes and expansions that were part of the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance package, including coverage for self-employed, contract, and gig workers.

Categories

Economic Support, Employment, Labor Market, Low-Wage Work, Social Insurance Programs, Unemployment/Nonemployment

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