Business
How can Obama solve long-term unemployment?
The president next month plans to unveil a job creation package, looking to address the top concern on Americans’ minds. Though details remain scarce, some of the measures will seek to help the long-term unemployed.
But assisting those who’ve been jobless for months, or even years, will not be simple. Some 13.9 million Americans remain unemployed, 44% of whom have been out of work for six months or longer.
Both conservatives and liberals say addressing the needs of the long-term unemployed will likely require additional government spending, which won’t be easy to get past the deficit hawks in Congress.
Paychecks from Uncle Sam
One way to get the long-term unemployment back on the payroll is to have the government cover their paycheck for a period of time, according to experts. This gives companies a risk-free way to see what the employee can contribute, while giving workers a possible foot in the door.
