Millions of workers staying home ‘thanks to the Biden administration’

These days, storefronts are adorned with “Now Hiring” and “Help Wanted” signs. Local family-owned businesses and restaurants are announcing reduced business hours and even closures, often citing a lack of employees. And many post signs imploring customers to be patient as fewer workers mean longer wait times.

A new jobs report released this week shows there are now more than 11 million unfilled jobs in the U.S. Where have the workers gone? Thanks to the Biden administration, millions are staying at home, where they’re given financial incentives not to return to the workforce. What started off as temporary measures to alleviate the pains of the pandemic have instead become a nearly two-year economic reality.

Under the auspices of an ongoing national emergency, the Biden administration continues to extend welfare benefits. With no need to work, millions of Americans are foregoing a job with wages for a government paycheck. According to the latest labor statistics, there are nearly 3 million workers missing from the workforce compared to when the pandemic first began, and labor force participation rates are still falling. This is unsustainable.

In August 2021, the Biden administration announced a 25 percent increase in funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — food stamps — adding $20 billion to the already staggering $79 billion in costs annually. With millions of Americans no longer needing to buy their own food, there is no urgency to find employment.

Meanwhile, the federal government has suspended work search requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents enrolled in the food stamp program. This further discourages potential jobseekers from obtaining the kind of employment that allows them to develop important skills, build self-esteem, and provide for their families. When businesses are struggling to hire employees, higher wages and benefits can only do so much — especially when the government pays as much or more. – READ MORE