Texas To End Federal Pandemic Assistance In June
Texas is joining at least 19 other GOP led states in ending federal unemployment benefits early.
According to Business Insider and multiple other sources, Governor Greg Abbott told the Labor Department on Monday (05.17.21) that Texas was withdrawing from further federal unemployment compensation related to the COVID-19 pandemic with an effective date of June 26th.
This would end the extra $300 some were receiving in weekly benefits.
In his statement, Abbott said that the Texas economy is booming and employers are hiring throughout the state. According to the Texas Workforce Commission the number of jobs open in the state is almost exactly the same as the number of people looking for work.
The Texas Workforce Commission has stated that they will be providing additional information to those currently receiving federal aid as Texas transitions away from those programs.
A growing number of Republican led states are ending their participation in the federal assistance program early citing the need to get their people back to work. It is believed by many that the additional financial support was a disincentive to getting people off unemployment benefits and back into the workforce.
The current average weekly benefit in Texas was just over $405. The state's unemployment rate in March of 2021 was 6.9% as opposed to 3.5% in February of 2020.
Not everyone is in favor of this move. Democratic Senator Ron Wyden from Oregon has accused the Republican governors of sabotaging the economic recovery of the nation by eliminating stimulus programs months ahead of their scheduled end date.
It is hoped that as more and more Texans become fully vaccinated against COVID-19 that life and the economy of the state will return to a nearly normal condition.