The $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package, known as the CARES Act, is another reason there have been more claims. The fiscal package expanded eligibility for

The $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package, known as the CARES Act, is another reason there have been more claims. The fiscal package expanded eligibility for unemployment insurance. Part-time workers are allowed to file, and so are contractors. Some states have waived job-search requirements. Policymakers hope the labor market will rebound as quickly as it has fallen, and that employers who have laid off workers will decide to rehire them. This is what I am seeing locally. It is much easier for small businesses to lay people off so they can immediately replace income with unemployment benefits. The alternative is to apply for the small business loans and that is complicated, reportedly difficult to obtain.