Greg Abbott, Texas Governor logs out the federal supplement to Unemployment benefit introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic to help workers. The governor refuses aid, which will continue at the national level until September, June 26th.
In a press release, Governor Abbott cited figures from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) states that the number of people receiving unemployment benefits is “almost identical” to the number of vacancies listed on TWC that do not include restaurant or construction jobs. The press release states that 45 percent of job vacancies are paying more than $ 15.50 an hour.
The governor’s office Expectations This is a necessary measure to stop fraudulent jobless claims, which TWC estimates represent 18 percent of all jobless claims submitted during the pandemic. But like Lieutenant Gubernatorial’s candidate, Mike Collier, rolled into one TweetSince unemployment benefits come from tax dollars, Texans will essentially pay, and not receive, benefits in other states.
The discontinuation of the supplement was supported by many organizations including the Texas Association of Business, the Texas Hotel & Lodging Association, and the Texas Restaurant Association, many of whom cited the added benefits as a barrier to hiring.
The move met with criticism. Some point out that the benefits does not cost Texans anything. The Texas Tribune noted that many are faced with the challenge of returning to work or coordinating childcare. Eater spoke to recently several restaurant employees who want to work but have concerns about wages and safety.
Governor Abbott removed the state mask mandate and all COVID-19 restrictions in the state followed on March 10 by placing a new order today citing that no government agencies in the state could still issue mask mandates. However, Austin and Travis County are extending their mask requirements for unvaccinated and partially unvaccinated individuals through June 14th.
