Last summer, North
Carolina slashed the amount of cash it gave to people
after they lost their jobs and the state also reduced the number of weeks they
could receive benefits. Within several months, the unemployment rate fell a few
ticks and by November it fell to a five-year low.
Similar though less dramatic declines occurred in Georgia and South Carolina after they made benefits less
generous starting in 2012.
Vindication for critics of extended unemployment benefits?
Hard to say. It’s the experience of just a few states and others have also
witnessed sharp declines despite retaining more generous benefits. Indeed, the
national unemployment rate has fallen by nearly 1 percentage point in the past
year. Read: How end of extra benefits could send U.S.
unemployment rate lower.
Still, it’s worth taking a look at North Carolina ’s experience.
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