Reduce unemployment assistance requests in the US

WASHINGTON (AP) – The number of Americans applying for public unemployment assistance fell to 444,000 last week, a low not seen since the onset of the coronovirus epidemic and a sign that the economy is improving as health restrictions are lifted. Are given. And the citizens go shopping again.

The report released on Thursday by the Department of Labor shows that there has been a decrease of 34,000 in applications compared to 478,000 in the previous week. The number of applications for unemployment assistance – a rough indication of layoffs – has been steadily decreasing since the beginning of the year.

The data coincides with efforts by nearly all Republican governors in the United States to end federal subsidies of $ 300 a week for the unemployed, noting that it discourages them from seeking work. The end of these subsidies will start in June.

Twenty-two states, including Texas, Georgia, Ohio and Iowa, have begun efforts to discontinue that subsidy, according to an analysis by The Associated Press. Two other states, Florida and Kansas, are considering doing so. Those 24 states have Republican governors and Republican-majority legislatures.

So far the unemployed in the United States have been able to receive that subsidy, which is part of the $ 1.9 trillion economic rescue plan promoted by President Joe Biden, in addition to the subsidies they receive at the state level.

Overall, the abolition of such subsidies would reduce unemployment benefits for about 3.5 million people, according to Oxford Economics.