NFIB State Director Nathan Humphrey released the following statement today in response to Governor Kemp’s decision to end pandemic-related federal supplemental unemployment assistance:
“This was a difficult decision, but we believe Governor Kemp made the right one. When the pandemic began and businesses scaled back or closed altogether, many people lost their jobs, and Congress stepped up and provided these additional benefits so families could get through this crisis. One year later, Georgia’s economy is improving and businesses are hiring, but no one’s applying. That’s making it hard for businesses to meet customers’ needs and fully recover from the COVID-19 downturn.
“The supplemental federal assistance is having the unintended consequence of discouraging some people from reentering the workforce. Our hope is that by ending the additional payments, more people will return to work.”
