Waiting On Assistance: Some Arizonans Still Haven't Gotten Unemployment Benefits
Download mp3 (15.97 MB)Thousands of Arizonans are still waiting for unemployment benefits — and the backlog of applications is only growing.
For those still waiting for their checks, an additional $600 in federal assistance doesn’t mean much. But those who have received benefits face another cliff at the end of July, when that additional assistance goes away.
Ryan Randazzo has been covering the unemployment backlog for the Arizona Republic, and The Show spoke with him for more details on how unemployment assistance is playing out in Arizona.
Arizona’s maximum unemployment payouts also rank 49th in the nation at $240 a week. The federal addition of $600 in response to the pandemic has been a temporary boost, but that expires Aug. 1.
What options should the state look to, considering even the most optimistic person doesn’t expect the employment situation to be any better in two months?
The Show spoke with Price Fishback, economics professor at the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management, about the government's time limit.
