“It’s not as good as the $600, obviously, but it’s better than nothing.”

More people are relying on gig work, which puts a lot of risk on the workers themselves.

The data underscores that President Joe Biden has inherited an economy that faltered this winter as virus cases spiked.

Making the unemployment system a federal program could help reduce some of the huge racial disparities that currently exist.

On Friday, the government will issue a December jobs report that economists expect will show hiring slowed for a sixth straight month.

In the recovery this year, wages are likely to stagnate for returning service workers, economists predict.

Before the virus struck, applications typically numbered around 225,000 a week before shooting up to 6.9 million in early spring.

The headline items are $600 checks to individuals and an additional $300 per week in unemployment benefits for many.

Direct payments in the range of $600 and extra unemployment benefits around $300 per week are on the table.

Congress was able to pass the CARES Act quickly, but its benefits expire Dec. 26. Will they be extended?