Center for American Progress Action

Union Unemployment Insurance Navigators Would Be a Boon to Jobless Workers
Article

Union Unemployment Insurance Navigators Would Be a Boon to Jobless Workers

Involving unions and worker groups in navigator programs would help more people understand and get the unemployment benefits they deserve.

Unions have helped workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in a number of ways, including by improving safety procedures for grocery store workers, securing paid leave for postal service workers, and lifting pay for some essential workers. They have even helped jobless Americans sign up for state unemployment benefits, which is far too often a daunting process.

Unfortunately, during the COVID-19 recession, many unemployed workers faced difficulties accessing unemployment benefits—a long-standing problem for the U.S. unemployment insurance (UI) system even before the pandemic. Over the past several decades, only about one-third of all jobless workers received unemployment benefits, many because of restrictive eligibility requirements, but many others because of a lack of program awareness and the hurdles involved in applying for benefits. Indeed, some studies suggest that only about half of jobless workers eligible for unemployment insurance receive benefits.

The above excerpt was originally published in Center for American Progress. Click here to view the full article.

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Authors

David Madland

Senior Fellow; Senior Adviser, American Worker Project

Malkie Wall

Research Associate

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