The latest survey from the end of June 2021 shows that a staggering number of Americans have turned down jobs to continue remaining on unemployment, which is hindering the US economy from returning to pre-pandemic normal levels. Continue reading to learn more about the latest unemployment news.
A Morning Consult poll highlighted the following reasons why employees are not returning to work.
- 13% say that it’s a combination of reasons that are associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 13% state they receive enough unemployment insurance benefits without having to work.
- 13% claim that their reasons relate to health and/or medical limitations.
- 12.1% say they were not given enough money or incentives to return to work.
- 11.4% say the jobs they were offered were no longer within their desired function or industry.
- 11% say that their job didn’t allow remote work.
- 10.9% say that their decisions have to do with training or school.
- 10.6% say that the job didn’t have enough flexibility or required fixed working hours.
- 9.6% cite personal or family obligations as a reason for not returning to work.
- 9.5% say that the job didn’t offer enough work hours.
- 8.8% say that the job required too many work hours.
Ultimately, the survey shows that 1.8 million Americans turned down jobs due to unemployment insurance benefits.
Why Does This Impact Our Economic Recovery?
Businesses have been dealing with severe labor supply shortages, which has hindered full economic recovery since some companies, especially those paying minimum wage, have been hit hardest.
More than 26 states have already opted to remove emergency unemployment benefits to incentivize more people into accepting open jobs.
As other states begin to remove emergency benefits, it will be more challenging for those that have turned down work to find jobs that make them happy, which may cause workplace friction. 
If your company is having a hard time finding employees right now, know that you are not alone! Ninja Gig can help you with all your restaffing and employment needs. Additionally, our employment software stores all applicants so you can browse through past candidates and even candidates that haven’t finished job applications. So Sign up and try our FREE 14-day trial today!