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Unemployment benefit in the united states of america. Various benefits and social benefits in the United States How much do American unemployment statistics come out

The US economy is on the rise. What kind of unemployment are we talking about? Let's not rush, let's get acquainted with official statistics on unemployment at the moment and find out how you can get unemployment benefits.

Unemployment rate

The level rose to five percent in March 2016, according to Bloomberg data.

They turned out to be worse than experts' expectations. Analysts polled by the agency had forecast that unemployment in March would remain at its February level of 4.9 percent. American economy created 215 thousand new jobs in March, which almost coincides with forecasts.

Non-farm payrolls fell to 215,000 from 242,000 in February.

The average working week did not change compared to the previous month, amounting to 34.4 hours. At the same time, according to forecasts, it should have increased to 34.5 hours.

The average hourly wage rose by 0.3 percent in March. In February, a decrease of 0.1 percent was recorded. The growth of the indicator was better than expected (an increase of 0.2 percent was expected

In April, the US Federal Reserve held a meeting dedicated to the base rate. The unemployment rate in the country is one of the three key indicators (along with inflation and GDP dynamics) that influence the Fed's decision. The higher it is, the less likely it is that the Federal Reserve will tighten monetary policy, that is, raise the rate. Now it is at the level of 0.25-0.50 percent per annum.

Unemployment benefits

To receive unemployment benefits, a working American must work a certain amount of time and earn a certain amount (these rules vary greatly from state to state).

The calculation of the level of benefits is determined by estimating the salary of a given unemployed person for a certain period of time: usually for 6-12 months of the year worked by him, preceding the dismissal.

For example, in the state of Connecticut, in order to qualify for benefits, an unemployed person must previously earn at least $600 a month, in the state of Maine - $3,376. , and the period of work (at least 680 hours per month) for the estimated time. In addition, he must part with his employer in a certain way - for example, not be fired for violation of labor discipline or for inability to fulfill the duties assigned to him (in some states, a person who quit of his own free will can receive benefits).

In addition, not all unemployed who meet the above standards are able to receive benefits. For example, in many states, freelancers and some agricultural workers have no chance of receiving benefits. In addition, in many cases, employers register their employees as “contractors”: they are not fired, they simply do not renew their contract - therefore, ex-contractors who are left without work are not eligible to claim benefits.

After the unemployed confirms his right to benefits, he receives this benefit. Its size is also determined by the states and varies greatly: as a rule, the determining factors are the level of salary at the last place of work and the cost of living in the area. In addition, in 13 out of 50 states, when determining the amount of payments, the presence of children and dependents in the family of the unemployed is taken into account.

In any case, in most states, an unemployed person cannot receive more than half of his last maximum salary (in case the salary is incredibly high, each state sets maximum size benefits) - in the United States, this figure is approximately 47%.

It is curious that here women have a certain advantage over men: as a rule, the fair sex earns less, so on average the allowance covers 49% of their lost income, for men - 46%. As a result, weekly benefits can range from $16 to $275 in Oklahoma, and $109 to $496 in Washington state (US average in 2003 was $262). As a rule, the first 7 days of being unemployed are not paid.

However, after receiving benefits, the unemployed person must constantly contact officials (usually on a weekly basis), proving that he is actively looking for work and does not refuse the offers received. If the unemployed is unable to meet these conditions, payments may be stopped, reduced or cancelled.
In all states, an unemployed person affected by such decisions of officials can appeal their decision: as a rule, by complaining to the supervisory authorities or to the court. The claim must be filed within a maximum of a month (each state again has its own time frame) after the unemployed decision is made.

Unemployment benefits are not capable of replacing the unemployed with the loss of a permanent income. A study by the US Congressional Budget Office showed that the income of the unemployed on welfare is reduced by 40% compared to the period they had a permanent job. In addition, 25% of unemployment benefit recipients who have been unable to find a job for four months are sliding into poverty.

In most states, unemployment benefits are paid for 26 weeks. According to the US Department of Labor, in 2003, the average unemployed person received benefits for 16.4 weeks (payments stopped due to violations, by the recipient of the benefit, or because he found a job), in the first half of 2008 (latest available data) - 15.8 . In the same year, 43.5% of American unemployed people who received benefits stopped receiving it after 26 weeks and were effectively left without a livelihood.

In 2008, the US Congress passed a number of regulations that increased the period for receiving benefits: for most states it was increased by 7 weeks (in excess of the existing 26), for states where the unemployment rate is 6% or more - by 13 weeks. There are other ways to extend your benefits in different states.
In addition to benefits, the unemployed in the United States can keep for a certain period (usually 18 months) their health insurance, which was previously paid by the employer. This program is called COBRA (according to the law - Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, adopted in 1986).

The essence of this system is as follows: the unemployed is obliged to pay the contributions to the health insurance company, which were previously transferred by his employer. Not all unemployed people can keep insurance: for example, before they are fired, they must work in a company of at least 20 people that paid at least half of the insurance premiums in the year preceding the dismissal.

As you can see, getting unemployment benefits is not such an easy thing in the US: you need to meet certain criteria and actively look for work. If this is not done, then you can be left with nothing.

Today, the situation in the world is extremely unstable, but many believe in the well-being of America, admiring the patriotism of local residents. The main indicator of the success of any country is the unemployment rate. In 2016, in the US, it was at an all-time low for the last eight years. At the beginning of 2019, the situation has not changed yet.

Not everyone is entitled to unemployment benefits

To receive unemployment benefits in the United States, it is not enough just to be unemployed. A person who has come from another country, all the more, will not be able to count on the help of the state. The allowance in the form of a fixed amount is due only to an American if he was employed for a certain time and was left without a livelihood. The amount depends on the state and the average salary of the unemployed for a particular time. In most cases, a six-month time period is considered until the moment of job loss.

The U.S. Financial Assistance Program is only for states with monthly salaries of less than $1,100. According to statistics, only 4 regions in America have wages below $3,000.

US unemployment rate

On the this moment the employment situation in the United States is relatively calm. The official number of unemployed in the country is within 6-8 million people. About the same number are looking for higher wages and several million more who live below the poverty line.

Unsurprisingly, Americans over 45 find it much more difficult to find a job, since most employers believe that people at this age are less receptive to mastering technology. Also, employers are reluctant to take young people without work experience and recommendations.

Who can get unemployment benefits in the US

A small percentage of the population who find themselves in a difficult situation has the right to receive unemployment benefits. They will need to document their eligibility for benefits. This will require:

Certificate of the number of hours worked for the last 6 months.
Salary certificate for the same period.
A document indicating the dependents living in the family.

The status of the unemployed in America is not able to provide acceptable living conditions, since the amount of payments is up to 50% of the former salary. The payment of social benefits occurs once a week and can range from $60 to $250. The minimum unemployment payment was registered in Oklahoma - 65 dollars, and the maximum amount was 2 thousand dollars in Washington.

Who lives well in the states

At the end of 2018-2019, the salary of an ordinary American was $2,800. With this wage, a person can consider himself a completely successful person, since the minimum wage is considered to be an amount reaching 1,100 - 1,700 dollars. This category includes professionals with hourly wages, receiving within 10 dollars per hour. They are at risk, so they can safely claim social benefits.

How to live on unemployment benefits

You need to know that the first week of being unemployed is not paid. After the first payment, you should not relax. It is necessary to constantly prove by your behavior that the beneficiary of the allowance is constantly actively looking for work. Otherwise, civil servants can reduce the amount of payments or cancel them altogether. Constant contact with government officials is another commitment required for regular payments.

The lack of wages is felt very strongly. Most of the unemployed living on welfare live below the poverty line. The rationale for this is quite simple - those who want to work for a certain amount of time will be able to normalize their standard of living. Many states don't pay benefits for more than 26 weeks, but luckily, a suitable job comes across much earlier. Often profitable vacancies appear in government structures, so the main thing for the unemployed is not to miss the right moment.

Assistance to the unemployed is not limited to monetary compensation. For the 18th month, an American receiving unemployment benefits has the right to use health insurance. This is possible if during the period of employment the employer made contributions to the Fund social insurance. So, if you are unemployed, you will not have to save on your health.

As long as a person is receiving unemployment benefits, they may qualify for reduced school meals, some food, and tax deductions for each of the children.

The amount of unemployment benefits in 2019

The amount of unemployment benefits in 2019 largely depends on the amount of wages over the past six months. For example, in the state of Connecticut, an unemployed person with a monthly salary of at least $600 can claim benefits. Higher requirements in Maine. The minimum wage at the time of employment to qualify for benefits must be at least $3,300.

With the system of social support existing in 2019, several categories of people eligible for various benefits are distinguished. They can be both in monetary terms and in “kind” terms: food cards, free meals, assistance in paying utility bills, and so on.

Almost everyone who is legally in the country is entitled to benefits. Everyone, without exception, is issued a social security card with an individual number. It can always be used to check how carefully a person pays taxes, and what social benefits he receives.

Consider the main types of assistance to US residents in 2019.

This type of social support can be received by an adult able-bodied adult citizen who has not reached retirement age. To assign unemployment benefits, you will have to collect a lot of documents and prove that the need is real.

In general, to receive unemployment benefits you need:

Work in the country for at least 6-12 months (depending on the state).
Be registered for a permanent job, and not under a fixed-term contract or contract.
Work full-time and earn at least the minimum wage.
To be dismissed due to redundancy or in connection with the liquidation of the enterprise, and not of their own free will or for failure to fulfill their job duties.

These are the main criteria that apply throughout the country. More detailed social security issues are handled locally and may vary from state to state. Somewhere it may be taken into account that the unemployed dependents, and in another county it will not matter. Accordingly, the amount of unemployment benefits depends on the place of residence (as, indeed, the minimum wage).

Unemployment benefits are a maximum of 49% of a person's average earnings at their last job and no more than $2,700 per month. Payments are made for 6.5 months, and then stop - regardless of whether the unemployed person has found a job. During the entire period of receiving unemployment benefits, a citizen must communicate closely with government agencies, meet weekly with social workers and make every effort to get to work as soon as possible.

Child benefits

Payments for a child in the form familiar to us in the United States do not exist. Assistance is provided only to a targeted, specific needy family, and not always in money. Concepts maternity leave also not: the mother may not work after giving birth for a maximum of 4 months, and after this period she must return to work or quit. True, the child will not have to be left unattended - in every city there is a system of early nurseries and kindergartens. You can also get a discount on their payment.

A poor family will not be allowed to die of hunger either. If the parents' income is below the subsistence level, they are paid the missing amount - in cash or different kind coupons or benefits. These can be food cards, free school breakfasts and lunches, transportation costs, tax breaks.

The amount of such benefits is calculated individually each time. At school, your child will definitely be fed a free breakfast, and possibly lunch. In the summer, during vacations and holidays, a network of free food sections operates. A mother with a child less than a year old can receive additional healthy nutrition.

Single parents have an advantage when assigning assistance to a child. AT recent times this leads to the fact that people are in no hurry to enter into an official marriage, or fictitiously divorce.

Low-income families with a child are eligible for free American Medicaid, free general education, and social housing. However, the level of these services leaves much to be desired, so the state encourages parents to still find a permanent job with an acceptable income.

welfare

Not only the unemployed and families with a child are entitled to receive assistance from the state. The so-called welfare is theoretically available to all those in need. It is a number of different benefits assigned to persons who, for one reason or another, are not provided with a minimum income. In 2019, any permanent resident of the United States can apply for welfare, that is, you don’t even have to wait for citizenship. The social service will carefully check all your income and assign the necessary amount of payments. Assistance other than cash may also be offered.

Benefits are verified monthly and will stop when your income reaches the required amount.

For its part, the state encourages a person to get a job or go to school as soon as possible in order to get a profession that is in demand on the labor market. Theoretically, with a certain resourcefulness, you can sit on welfare for years. Therefore, many taxpayers are unhappy with the existence of this kind of social support.

The Mexican and African-American families most often given this type of benefit are believed to deliberately have many children and do not get a job. And they can even work illegally without paying taxes.

In 2015, the Arizona government, with a budget deficit of $1 billion, decided to revise the terms of the welfare program. Now residents of the state will be able to apply for the appointment of this benefit only once in a lifetime, and payments will be made no more than 12 months. It is possible that over time, other states will follow the example of Arizona.

Social Security for the Indigent Elderly and Disabled (SSI)

SSI is another program to support socially vulnerable segments of the population. Both citizens and legal immigrants can apply for it. It is required that the person be disabled (due to age or illness), have a low income and do not own expensive property. Another condition is that it must already be included in all possible social assistance programs.

The SSI program in 2019 is funded by the federal budget and is designed to be an additional income for people with disabilities.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)

This type of assistance is intended for those who have worked in the United States, paid taxes to the Social Security Fund. SSDI requires one year of disability or blindness. It does not matter whether you have property or other income - only seniority is taken into account.

In 2019, your dependents (spouse, child) are also eligible for this benefit.

Despite numerous social benefits, in the end it is profitable to work and pay taxes to the state.

In the United States, when applying for a job, the level of education is taken into account, so 80% of Americans with higher education have a paid job compared to 35% with secondary education. The resulting difference of 45% is well above the European average of 38%, suggesting that the US labor market is more restrictive and specialized than in Europe.

Men and women in the US have equal rights to work, employment among women is 62%, among men 71%, but there is nothing strange in these figures, exactly the same disposition of forces is observed in Europe. Youth unemployment in the US is at 17.5%, which is also the average result for European countries

Personal earnings or the average annual salary of an employee in the United States for the last reporting period is a record $54,500, compared with earnings of $52,900, in Switzerland $50,300, $50,100, $45,800, $39,600, $19,800 in Russia $19,700.

Women in the US usually receive a salary 1.27 times less than men, exactly the same proportion in the UK, male labor is even more valued in Switzerland 1.33, 1.34, 1.35, 1.42 and at 1.56.

In the US, the deep social gap in the average annual salary of employees, according to data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, between the 20% of the richest citizens and the 20% of the poorest is 2.95. In Korea 2.89, in Israel 2.86, in 2.55, in Poland 2.41, in Ireland 2.4, the smallest gap in Norway is 1.6 and 1.67.

The top 20% of workers on average in the United States are paid or earn $70,927 a year, the bottom 20% of workers bring home $24,080 a year.

US unemployment rate

The unemployment rate in the USA. In the US, there is one official unemployment rate, which is also actual. So the unemployment rate was below 5% until mid-2008, after which it went up sharply due to the financial crisis and reached a maximum of 10% in early 2010, after which it began to gradually decline, reaching 5.3% in March 2015, the forecast promises that the level will soon return to the pre-crisis level, and may fall below 4%.

There has been a lot of progress in the field of job creation in the tourism and entertainment sector, which shows that the US economy has recovered and people have money and a desire to vacation again.

Unemployment among the colored population is about 11.4%, which is two times worse than in the whole country, however, such figures were not surprising, and in more better times, these 11.4% of people include migrants, antisocial individuals who cannot, do not want to work, at least officially, it is easier for them to receive benefits, this money is more than the salary that awaits them from the employer. In the Russian-speaking Internet, or rather in the Russian one, they do not often publish data on American unemployment or focus specifically on unemployment among migrants and people of color in the United States, while forgetting to give such a comparative characteristic that confirms that unemployment in the United States among people of color is still lower than unemployment in Russia. By the way, this also applies to Ukraine, where unemployment among those who want and can is greater than in the United States among those who do not want and cannot.

US unemployment benefits

Unemployment benefits in the US. In order to receive unemployment benefits, an unemployed person must fulfill certain conditions, and relatively there are much more of them than in Russia or Western Europe, not all those who lost their jobs in America were able to get it paid, and specifically one in four who lost their jobs cannot receive benefits.

Just like in our country, in order to receive benefits in the USA, it is necessary to work for a certain time at the company until this moment, this is at least six months or a year, the employee must also receive a regular salary, in rich states this amount can reach up to $ 3,400 per month, in poor states it is enough and 600 dollars a month, as, for example, in the state of Connecticut, in some states there are no restrictions on the size of the salary, these are Delaware and Virginia, but in the state of Washington, instead of a salary, you need to show that a person worked at least 680 hours a month. Those who lost their jobs for violation of labor discipline are deprived of benefits, in some states a person cannot receive benefits if he quit on his own initiative. Notaries or other self-employed professions, as well as farm workers, remain without unemployment benefits in the United States. Unemployment benefits cannot be claimed by people who got a job under a contract and who were not full-time employees, including the so-called freelancers.

Unemployment benefit amount

Each state has its own allowance, on average in the United States, the allowance will be 47% of the last salary, but for women it is 49%, and for men 46%, often social factors, the presence of children in the family, the cost of payments for an apartment and the like. Unemployment benefits will be higher in expensive states and slightly less in poor ones. So in the US capital, unemployment benefits from $ 110 to $ 500 per month, in such a poor state as Oklahoma, benefits from $ 20 to $ 275, also low benefits in Arizona and vice versa high in California and Hawaii. The allowance can be paid from 46 to 79 weeks, again it all depends on the state.

An unemployed person does not lose benefits if he moves from one state to another, he may be able to take free courses to improve his skills or change his profession. It's quite easy to find a job white man, and rather difficult for people of color, this also needs to be taken into account, moreover, among the white population in the US, there is essentially no unemployment at all. If the unemployed person could not find a job within the prescribed time, he will most likely receive a poverty benefit, which can reach $ 700 per month, in addition, the state will pay extra for the cost of renting an apartment, treatment, and the like, some migrants take advantage of such holes in the legislation and live peacefully on benefits for years, they believe that it is even more profitable than if they worked honestly.

Unemployment and Missing Americans

In the US, there is such a thing as missing workers. Today, America shows record figures in terms of unemployment, where else in the world can you find such an idyll as 5% unemployment, in Russia and Ukraine these figures are approaching 10%, the same thing happens in Europe, whether Western or Eastern. But the United States every year reports about another percentage overcome, I would not be surprised if, according to the results of 2016, the country reports 4% unemployment.

Is there some sort of focus here? The fact is that the statistics does not count those people who have not been able to find a job for a year and simply refused this occupation, but in America there are also people who have not been able to find a job for years, many have not been able to find it yet after they were cut during the 2008 crisis, almost a decade has passed since. Unemployment hits young and old specialists more, it is unfriendly to migrants and especially blacks of any age. The latest crisis destroyed the American construction bubble, a huge army of men fell out of the workplace, while women suffered much less, black men, in addition, suffer from workplace injuries. To make matters worse for the colored population, employers are far more likely to challenge black claims for benefits than they are for whites.

Youth unemployment in the US

Young people under 30 also suffer greatly, it is most difficult for them to get a job due to understandable reasons with a lack of experience and qualifications, it is interesting that young people who are deprived of the opportunity to find any job today sit in high school, continue their education after receiving a bachelor's degree, this This means that the number of people with completed higher education in the United States is starting to increase to limits that have already begun to go beyond any limits of decency, the market today simply does not need such a number of engineers, lawyers, accountants. This leads to the indebtedness of the young generation, which comes out with golden diplomas and debts of hundreds of thousands of dollars, it is not yet a fact that you can easily find a job in your specialty and calmly repay debts.

The burden on working people in recent years in America has been increasing due to the demographic explosion of pensioners. In the United States today, not only young people are actively studying, but also middle-aged people who lost their jobs in 2008, underwent retraining, for example, received an already completed higher education in the hope of working in their specialty and no longer run the risk of losing their jobs, but such a retraining is not yet a guarantee of permanent operation. Finding high-skilled jobs is becoming increasingly difficult, as such jobs are constantly shrinking. College-educated people can spend years looking for a job, living on food stamps, spending their retirement savings with the loss of their personal home, car, and other accumulated assets.

U.S. wages, incomes, and productivity

If you look at the graph of the median income per household adjusted for inflation, you will find that, starting from 2000, it began to lag far behind labor productivity, which shows a constant increase, but the average household income has stopped. But where does the difference go, if labor productivity grows, then the incomes of the population should grow accordingly, but this is no longer happening now, where the difference goes, you really need to ask the American billionaires.

According to statistics, every household in the US has three credit cards, the total amount of debt on such cards is $ 15,000 for each family, which would be normal, but you need to add all other debts to this, and these are mortgage debts, college debts, car loans and so on. The thing is that now the debt of the average family in the United States is growing faster than family income, namely by about 70%.

Financial security or airbag

There is such a thing as financial security, or just an airbag in case of loss of work, health, other force majeure situations, even here in Russia or Ukraine it is believed that a family should have savings that will allow them to exist for at least six months without receiving income, in In the United States, this amount should be even more if you consider that in the United States you need to look for a job for years, and in Russia this job is usually found in just one week. I don’t know how it is in Russia, but in the USA only a third of families can boast of having such an airbag for half a year.

Where do Americans spend their money?

An important safety cushion in old age is pension savings, but they are often inaccessible even to the middle class, people simply do not have extra money for retirement savings, a quarter of Americans retire without any pension savings at all, 60% of Americans believe that they will not have enough for the rest the life of pension money, and after all, Americans are non-Russians, and they still live a very long time in retirement.

On average, middle-class people spend $415 each month on health insurance from their salaries, 66% of families in the United States face the choice of paying for medical care and food, a third of Americans face the problem of choosing between food and treatment on an ongoing basis.

We can talk separately about dental insurance, which is usually not included in social insurance, nevertheless, every third American has purchased dental insurance, but we know that it does not fully cover the entire amount of treatment. Half of the owners of dental insurance refuse treatment because they are not able to pay extra for dental treatment from their own pocket. Here we see how important it is for Americans proper nutrition, giving up sugar, fast food, cola, switching to a vegetarian or raw food diet, Americans are much more motivated for this by life than, for example, Russians or Ukrainians, who can spoil their health almost for free.

At a great distance from American shores, there is an opinion that unemployment benefits are fabulous amounts and there is no need to work in the USA. It is enough to get to the desired country - and you can enjoy the life of paradise. But this, of course, is not so. The amount of support is very deceptive for foreigners. Let's understand its intricacies together.

The economic crisis is known to all. For the last 7 years, this term has been on the lips of all segments of the world's population. Most countries have suffered the brunt of the financial collapse that the United States has spearheaded. Interestingly, the country has such a powerful economy that resistance to such shocks allowed it to quickly recover and consolidate its leadership in the world. To analyze the social situation in the state is a set of indicators. Chief among them is the unemployment rate. In 2016, for the first time, it reached the value of 2008, the last pre-crisis period. Now its value is about 4%. Moreover, the trend of a gradual decrease in the indicator is clearly visible. Unemployment data is updated periodically - the statistical authorities monitor this indicator.

The degree of success in reducing the unemployment rate in the country is easier to assess if we remember that since 2008 the number of unemployed was up to 8% of the working population. In absolute terms, the government managed to reduce the number of unemployed from 10 million in 2014 to 6.5 million at the end of 2018. But to be completely honest, there are an additional 2 categories of citizens that spoil the statistics:

Approximately 2 million people could not find workplace and are now below the poverty line,
Just over 7 million Americans work only 0.5 wages and continue to look for work.

Young people (up to 40 years old) with education easily find a place for employment with a good salary. But there is required condition- Minimum experience. Among the least protected in terms of finding employment are people over 45 years of age. Employers explain the reluctance to hire people from this age category by the fact that they are behind the computer technology and the lack of motivation to achieve goals.

U.S. wages and unemployment benefits

Before admiring the amount of the allowance, it is necessary to approximately estimate the average expenses of a simple resident. According to operational calculations at the beginning of 2019, it is equal to $ 3,700 per month. In addition to the average salary, there is a stable minimum wage term, which is $ 7.25 for 1 hour of work.

For tracking financial well-being population experts use the term "zone financial market". This is the part of the population whose salary is less than $1,100 per month. For these layers, financial support programs have been developed. Throughout the country, only 4 regions have salaries lower than $3,000 per month. These are 3 mountain states and one in the south.

The conditional concept of "small salary" unites people whose income per person in the family is from 1150 to 1700 dollars.

Situations in the life of a US citizen can be completely different. The state sincerely seeks to provide support to people who find themselves without work. In 2019, any person who has lost his place "under the financial sun" can collect the necessary package of documents and count on monthly income in the amount of almost 50% of the last salary.

At the legislative level, the basis for providing financial assistance to the population is set out in the collection of federal laws. The details and rules of support are spelled out at the level of each state separately, so the conditions and amounts vary from one region to another. Thus, the average unemployment benefit in America in 2019 is $ 1,050 per month, but the numbers differ markedly from state to state (see chart below). The leadership of each territorial unit separately has broad powers in terms of providing social assistance to residents.

The amount of payment to persons in need of employment is constantly changing. At the end of 2018, it was $1,050. The largest amount of the benefit is almost $2,700, which is close to the average earnings per month.

Important! All numbers are averages and can only be approximated. Each state has its own rules.

The amount of benefits depending on the state, statistics for 2018. dollars a week. Click to enlarge.

There is a clear gender difference when deciding whether to pay benefits. It is much easier for women to qualify for assistance, and the amount of it is 49% of the amount of income in a previous job. For men, the procedure is slightly more complicated and the total amount is 46% of the former earnings. The reasons lie in the following:

Women have a lower income level.
Women are additionally involved in raising a child, which significantly complicates the process of finding a job.

When calculating payments, marital status is practically not taken into account. Behind Last year only 13 states take into account the presence of minor children and other dependents.

How to get help from the state and what's next?

Social assistance in the United States is not generally available and mandatory for all residents. In order to count on receiving financial support and other indulgences and benefits, a person must prove that he really needs it. The procedure is not too tedious, but aims at a complete verification of the applicant.

To qualify for financial assistance from the state, you must write an application. Even long before the crisis, not everyone received the desired money as a result. Approximately 25% of applicants never received the money. To reach the end, a certain endurance and a sufficient supply of strength are required from a person.

So, among the key requirements for the applicant are the following:

before becoming unemployed, a person must work in one place for at least 6 (12) months, which depends on the specific area;
the mode of operation was to be full, not partial;
the employee must be on the staff of the organization, but not on a contract or work contract;
wages must meet the minimum wage. There are features here: depending on the state, the amount of the minimum monthly income varies, and in some it is completely canceled;
dismissal from the place of work should be at the request of the employer, but not at will;
also, the reason for leaving should be caused by a reduction in the number of employees, but not violations of the working regime and rules.

Under federal law, the payment period is six and a half months. In 2019, this period is further extended by 7 to 13 weeks for different states. The reason lies in the difficult economic situation and the need for additional analysis of the applicant's personality.

After receiving a positive decision on your application, a US citizen who receives support as an unemployed person becomes under special control government agencies. He is being monitored and the authorities are closely monitoring his attempts to find work. Once a week, he must report to the Department of Employment about his progress in finding employment. Government Services, in turn, provide the citizen with their own job options to choose from. These offers are mandatory to visit and communicate with a potential employer. And refusal to work is permissible only at the initiative of the employer. That is, the state, issuing means of subsistence, seeks to provide a person with a job. Moreover, this serves as a good lever for solving personnel issues of the state itself.

No matter how unexpected it may sound, but the country has a narrow list of social benefits for vulnerable segments of the population. In particular, there are no maternal support systems in the country. The only thing that the employer offers is a vacation for four months at his own expense after the birth of a child. All. No other payments and social guarantees are provided.

The number of people receiving unemployment benefits in the US is about 3 million. This figure is relatively stable over time.

The last chance to receive support from the state is to recognize a person as a poor person. This happens if it is recognized that the income of a citizen is less than the level determined by the minimum for life. Then you can expect to receive food stamps, checks for baby food, reduced school meals, small tax deductions and more.

Support for the unemployed in the state is in a dynamic state. Change state power leads to innovation in social sphere. But to pay money just like that there is neither desire nor opportunity. Therefore, you should not rely on receiving full support from the state, and when immigrating, you should be prepared to earn your living on your own. Remember, as implausible as it may sound, US social policy is not much better than Russia's (and in some segments even worse).

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