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Podcast: A Health Podyssey
Episode: What new pandemic unemployment benefits taught us about health
Description: The COVID-19 pandemic caused an enormous wave of disruption to the U.S. economy, leading the unemployment rate to rise to a record high of 14.7% in April 2020. While unemployment has since improved — the unemployment rate in January 2021 was 6.3% — America has yet to reach the employment levels it held before the pandemic.In response to so many out of work, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in March 2020 expanded eligibility for unemployment benefits. Within that legislative package, the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) increased the amount of money people could receive through such prog...