OT: South Carolina becomes the second state to cancel federal unemployment benef

Papi_Chulo
Miami, FL (or the nearest big-booty club)
South Carolina plans to stop some of its federally-funded unemployment benefits to address "ongoing workforce shortages," according to the South Carolina governor's office, leaving many out-of-work residents without any support at all.

The state joins Montana, which announced a similar move this week.

"This labor shortage is being created in large part by the supplemental unemployment payments that the federal government provides claimants on top of their state unemployment benefits," Gov. Henry McMaster said in a statement on Thursday. "What was intended to be a short-term financial assistance for the vulnerable and displaced during the height of the pandemic has turned into a dangerous federal entitlement, incentivizing and paying workers to stay at home rather than encouraging them to return to the workplace."

Starting June 30, jobless South Carolinians will lose the extra $300 in weekly unemployment benefits but maintain their regular benefits. Contractors, gig workers, and others will also lose access to the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, meaning those workers won’t get any benefits.

"Nearly every sector in our economy faces a labor shortage," Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte said in a statement on Tuesday. "The vast expansion of federal unemployment benefits is now doing more harm than good."

As a way to incentivize workers to return to work, Montana is offering a one-time return-to-work payment of $1,200, using money from the American Rescue Plan to fund the program. Only those who complete four weeks of work would receive the payment.

"Incentives matter," Gianforte said. "Our return-to-work bonus and the return to pre-pandemic unemployment programs will help get more Montanans back to work."

South Carolina hasn't announced a return-to-work incentive once the federal benefits are cut.

https://money.yahoo.com/south-carolina-c…

15 comments

  • Liwet
    3 years ago
    Anybody know how long this program is supposed to last in other states? It's kind of nice in my line of work, I'm basically being paid $300 to work less than 24 hours a week.

    I did some calculations and found that I pretty much make the same amount of money at 18 hours of work as I make at 38 hours of work and that I make the most money each week by only working 23 hours. By working more than that, I disqualify myself for unemployment that week which then disqualifies me for the $300 payment. As a result, if you graphed my income per hours worked, you'd see a steadily rising line with a huge valley in the middle of it.
  • rickdugan
    3 years ago
    Something has to give. Retail stores, restaurants and a number of other places can't compete with a government paying people $20+ per hour not to work. It's so bad in the restaurants around here that many of them have had to limit their hours. A Dunkin Donuts nearby is completely closing its indoor seating at 1PM each day and converting to drive-thru only because they just can't hire enough help.
  • shadowcat
    3 years ago
    Around me Chick-fil-A, Wendy's, McDonald's and Taco Bell are all drive through only. I've experienced delays at other restaurants up to 1 hour with open tables but no one to clear them. Good thing I can cook. BLT's tonight.
  • Papi_Chulo
    3 years ago
    “… Something has to give …”

    Some say this is exactly what the left Dem party wants – the left has been touting “The Great Reset” since 2020 which in part has far-out leftist ideology such as the eradication of private property and the dismantling of capitalism – along these lines part of this leftist ideology is the elimination of the middle-class (a staple of open democratic free-market societies and why it's a problem for the left) - the left wants to create a class that is dependent (and thus no choice but to be obedient) of a large central-government thus allowing a ruling-class to stay in power in perpetuity.

    With the recent poor jobs-report last Friday; Biden was already saying that this is proof that government needs to spend even more than they are already doing (translation take over more of the economy and make the economy and the people even more dependent on them); when in reality the current government needs to be doing the opposite and everyone knows this but the leftist-media is all the way in w/ this socialist shit.
  • Papi_Chulo
    3 years ago
    Meanwhile prices keep going up - I ordered a churrasco steak from a Cuban plan near my crib - I order it every 2 or 3 weeks when in the mood - last time I ordered one it was $24.xx w/ tax, the most recent order a couple of days ago was $28.xx

    As prices keep increasing I assume people may start cutting back and the economy may get ugly.
  • Papi_Chulo
    3 years ago
    "... Why would a state willingly turn federal money away? ..."

    Because it may be doing more harm than good - and likely the business sector (restaurants; hospitality; gig economy; etc) is letting the politicians know they can't run their businesses w/ the current level of government intervention in the economy
  • Papi_Chulo
    3 years ago
    South Carolina's new state-slogan should be "The Anti Woke State" - LOL:


    "South Carolina State House Votes To Add Firing Squad To Execution Methods"

    https://www.dailywire.com/news/south-car…
  • nicespice
    3 years ago
    There are trade offs for accepting federal money. The biggest one is states being able to set their own tax credit program:
    https://reason.com/2021/03/10/federal-co…

    Not too sure if that is in SC’s reasoning. Probably just complaints from business owners in general.
  • Papi_Chulo
    3 years ago
    ^ as long as people are getting federal aid many won't want to apply for available jobs - what part of that don't you get?
  • whodey
    3 years ago
    I'm just glad Ohio reinstated the requirement that people receiving unemployment be actively trying to get a job instead of just sitting at home collecting that unemployment check. Ohio reinstating work-seeking requirement for those on unemployment ( http://www.local12.com/news/local/ohio-r… )

    “Ohio business owners are creating jobs faster than people are returning to the workforce,” said Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted. “Now that all Ohio adults have access to the vaccine, it’s time to return to the traditional work requirements.”
  • RandomMember
    3 years ago
    "This is no reason to deny pennies from heaven. "

    _____________
    Reminds me of the 14 red states that still refuse federal Medicaid expansion money. It's downright cruel.

    Why? Because anything that smells like socialism is perceived as bad.
  • Papi_Chulo
    3 years ago
    ^ the state clearly stated its reason
  • Papi_Chulo
    3 years ago
    The longer those federal benefits stay in place, the longer people will not look for work - that's not a good thing - eliminating the fed benefits will allow the economy to get back on track via more employment vs the tax-payer paying people to stay at home an increasing an already out-of-control debt - it's not "free money" - the government doesn't produce anything - it just takes from the producers and gives to the free-loaders in exchange for votes
  • gammanu95
    3 years ago
    The democrat party are buying votes for 2022, and massively increasing the deficit while doing so. This is partial socialism. The government is paying people directly, unfortunately they are paying them to not produce. This is only going to accelerate the automation of many of these jobs, which will (in the longer term) only further isolate and marginalize the small businesses which cannot afford to automate. With luck, those small businesses will be to reboot as "boutique" stores and bodegas where you pay a premium to be served by people and have others ring up your orders. On the flip side, those stores will then need to relocate to more affluent neighborhoods where people can afford the perks of personal interaction. Low income, mixed incomes, and middle income neighborhoods will have no jobs available for the unskilled worker who live there, and will be forced to commute further and further to find the work that earlier avoided by being paid to sit at home. All this while illegals flow unimpeded across our southern border. Hackers run rampant in cyberspace. China and Russia exponentially increase their spheres of influence and erode ours. Oh, but you got rid of the mean orange twitter machine! Good job, morons.
  • Icee Loco (asshole)
    3 years ago
    There will be legal challenges
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