President Joe Biden and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Friday sought to fend off claims that the enhanced unemployment boost was creating a disincentive for people to take jobs, after a wave of criticism to that effect following Friday’s disappointing employment report that showed a sharp slowdown in hiring despite job openings at near-record levels. Biden was asked at a press conference Friday whether the federal $300 weekly jobless benefit top-up—above and beyond what states provide—had any effect on diminishing a return to work. “No, nothing measurable,” Biden said, arguing that recovery from the pandemic recession would be a “marathon” not a “sprint,” and that although “we still have a long way to go” before the labor market recovers, “this month’s jobs numbers show we’re on the right track.” His remarks came on the heels of the Labor Department’s jobs report, which showed that U.S. private employers added just 266,000 …
Biden Fends Off Criticism That Federal Unemployment Boost Keeps Workers From Taking Jobs
May 8, 2021
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