Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
'Suitable' Jobs Must Be Accepted By Unemployment Recipients, Biden Says
The Hill: Biden: Workers Can't Turn Down Job And Get Benefits
President Biden announced Monday that his administration would affirm that workers cannot turn down a "suitable" job they are offered and continue to take federal unemployment benefits. “We’re going to make it clear that anyone who is collecting unemployment who is offered a suitable job must take the job or lose their unemployment benefits,” Biden said in remarks on the economy from the East Room, noting there would be “a few COVID-19-related exceptions” to the guidance. (Chalfant, 5/10)
The New York Times: Biden Defends Unemployment Benefits, Provided Workers Accept Job Offers
President Biden ordered the Labor Department on Monday to ensure that unemployed Americans cannot draw enhanced federal jobless benefits if they turn down a suitable job offer, even as he rejected claims by Republicans that his weekly unemployment bonus is undermining efforts to get millions of Americans back to work. Stung from a weekend of criticism over a disappointing April jobs report, Mr. Biden struck a defiant tone, seeking to make clear that he expects workers to return to jobs if they are available, while defending his signature economic policy effort thus far and blaming corporate America, in part, for not doing more to entice people to go back to work. (Tankersley and Rappeport, 5/10)
NBC News: 'Ill-Informed And Cruel': Growing Number Of GOP-Led States Move To End Covid Unemployment Benefits
A growing number of Republican-led states are moving to end the extra $300 a week in Covid-19 pandemic-related unemployment benefits, arguing that the relief is discouraging U.S. workers from rejoining the labor force. "It has become clear to me that we cannot have a full economic recovery until we get the thousands of available jobs in our state filled," Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, a Republican, said in a statement Monday, adding that the benefit will end next month. "The purpose of unemployment benefits is to temporarily assist Mississippians who are unemployed through no fault of their own." (Clark, 5/10)
Axios: Alabama Governor Orders End To Federal COVID Unemployment Benefits
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) on Monday ordered the state to terminate all participation in federally funded pandemic unemployment compensation programs. Ivey, like South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R), cited labor shortages, but some experts say it's the job climate and not unemployment benefits that is determining people's return to work. (Chen, 5/10)
