Why a GOP argument about unemployment insurance probably doesn't make much sense


Sens. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) said Wednesday they may oppose fast-tracking the Senate's coronavirus stimulus package because they fear that it could incentivize layoffs, as well as entice people to quit their jobs because they could make actually make more money from the enhanced unemployment insurance.
The argument angered some people, like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who is threatening to hold up the bill until there are stronger protections from workers unless the GOP senators drop their objections. But others were left scratching their heads.
People are typically only eligible for unemployment benefits if they lose their jobs through no fault of their own. There are exceptions, of course, but generally speaking people who quit would need to show they had "good cause" for doing so to qualify for financial assistance.
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Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
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