Walz Doesn’t Believe Extra Unemployment Aid is Keeping Workers Away

(KNSI) – Minnesota’s Governor doesn’t buy claims from business owners that enhanced and extended unemployment benefits keep workers from getting back to work.

During a press conference last week, Governor Tim Walz made the statement while offering incentives to Minnesotans who get vaccinated between now and June 30.

Walz says Minnesota has no intention of eliminating the extra benefit.

He doesn’t deny that you can disincentivize something, but that isn’t what he believes is happening.

“I think what we’re starting to see is a realignment of folks who aren’t going back to the same jobs. They’re looking for a little bit better wages. And we’re starting to see and this was long overdue, and I’m empathetic to business owners that have to make that balance, but I’ve always believed that it certainly can’t be on the backs of workers.”

People left unemployed because of the pandemic have been eligible for an extra $300 a week along with regular unemployment benefits.

According to The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, “the $300 weekly supplemental unemployment benefit results in approximately one in four recipients taking home more in unemployment than they earned working.”

In the last few weeks, more than 20 states have announced they would end Federal pandemic unemployment benefits before they’re scheduled to end in September. Minnesota is facing a significant shortage in workers, however the state has no plans to end the Federal pandemic benefits.

The expanded benefits remain in place until September.