When those who want to work are unemployed, families lose their earnings and have difficulties paying bills. They reduce spending to only their essential living needs.
You are eligible for benefits if you are unemployed through no fault of your own. Typically, you cannot file if you were fired or let go for “gross misconduct.”
While there is federal guidance for eligibility, each state has their own minimum requirements that a candidate for unemployment insurance benefits must satisfy.
Those that temporarily laid off or furloughed are able to collect unemployment benefits. However, they will collect if they are unpaid during the time they are not working.
Unemployment levels are central to the health of our economy. We are just seeing the substantial ramp up in initial claims for unemployment insurance to unprecedented levels.