Policy Brief The Safety Net for Unemployed Americans is Inadequate

Policy Brief The Safety Net for Unemployed Americans is Inadequate

The Great Recession has exposed numerous flaws in our social contract - weaknesses that existed prior to the economic downturn - highlighting the need for changes in our system.  In a six-part series, the Next Social Contract Initiative explores the stresses on our social contract, and the policy changes that must be made to mend it.  In the third installment, policy analyst Lauren Damme discusses how one of the nation's most important safety nets, unemployment insurance, excludes millions of the nation's most vulnerable workers, despite broadened UI eligibility in many states in response to the Unemployment Insurance Modernization Act of 2009. Overview: The Great Recession exposes weaknesses in the American social contract. Economic security policies are too closely tied to employment. The safety net for unemployed Americans is inadequate. Problems with a state-based social welfare system. The regressive delivery of social welfare benefits in the U.S. The ownership society is vulnerable during downturns: Pensions and home ownership. Click here to read the policy brief. Click here to go to the Economic Growth homepage. Click here to subscribe to Economic Growth and Next Social Contract publications.