Amid an ongoing labor crisis, with businesses across the country continually struggling to fill open worker slots, two economists say part of the problem may stem from roughly a quarter of all U.S. states paying citizens sky-high unemployment benefits that sharply disincentivize working.
The writers — University of Chicago economics Professor Casey Mulligan and Heritage Foundation economics research fellow EJ Antoni — argue in the paper that in 14 states, “unemployment benefits and [Affordable Care Act] subsidies are the equivalent to a head of household earning $80,000 in salary, plus health insurance benefits.”
