June 10, 2021—Over the next month, half of the United States will end its participation in federal unemployment programs, CNBC reported.
Alaska, Iowa, Mississippi, and Missouri will be the first to opt out of the pandemic-era programs as of June 12, almost three months ahead of the programs' official expiration. By July 10, 25 states will do the same. In total, roughly 3.9 million Americans will be affected by the state decisions.
This news comes as legislators, mainly Republicans, argue that enhanced jobless benefits offer an incentive to stay home. A recent study found that nearly half of small business owners are reporting unfilled job openings.
A handful of the states are offering return-to-work bonuses of up to $2,000, the report said.
