Research for Equity in Recovery: Unemployment Insurance During the COVID Crisis

The fourth event in the Research for Equity in Recovery Series focused on changes in unemployment insurance (UI) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and how lessons from these changes can guide reform of the federal-state UI system. Panelists included Christopher J. O'Leary, Senior Economist, Upjohn Institute, Suzanne Simonetta, Director of Policy, Legislation, and Regulations, U.S. Department of Labor, and Patricia M. Anderson, Professor of Economics, Dartmouth College. Michael Horrigan, President, Upjohn Institute, moderated.

O’Leary provided background on why UI was declining before the pandemic and how the CARES Act and other federal programs expanded UI benefits. Simonetta shared insight to help understand why the U.S. had a patchwork of federal interventions to address the impacts of the pandemic. She noted “the risk that is being insured by the permanent UI program is not compatible with the health-based unemployment crisis” and discussed why it was necessary for new federal programs to expand the benefits offered in the permanent UI program like PUA and FPUC. Anderson shared data on UI at the state level and research that disproved the fear that increased UI would lead to large numbers of people not returning to the workforce.

Full recordings and recaps of each event can be found here.