Millions of jobless Americans risk losing benefits

Published Tue, Nov 17, 2020 · 09:50 PM

Washington

MILLIONS of Americans will see their unemployment benefits disappear at the end of the year unless Congress extends pandemic-related programmes that made the aid available to a wider swathe of the workforce and for a longer period of time.

The looming expiration would spark the most substantial reduction to unemployment benefits since the end of July, when a US$600 weekly supplement - also added as part of the Cares Act - expired. And with coronavirus infections surging, some economists caution that job losses could rise during the winter, increasing the need for support.

Data released by the Labor Department last week showed the majority of people receiving unemployment benefits are now …