Many Russians find living conditions abroad more attractive than at home. The economic situation in the United States is indeed much safer and better in comparison with domestic realities. Only now the measures of social support on the part of the state are noticeably inferior to the Russian ones. Proof is not just how unemployment benefits are paid in the United States. This is also manifested in the provision of subsidies aimed at supporting families at the birth of children, as well as in the payment of other benefits.
Labor market situation in the USA
The powerful US economy quickly recovered from the global financial crisis and consolidated its leading position. The main indicator for analyzing the social situation of the country is the unemployment rate. Now it hovers around the 4% mark. Recall that since 2008, the number of people in the United States without a job has reached 8% of the total working-age population.
In absolute terms, such a positive trend is as follows: from 10 million officially registered unemployed in 2021 by the end of 2018, this number dropped to 6.5 million. But statistics are spoiled by two categories:
- slightly more than 7 million US residents are employed only part-time and have not stopped looking for work;
- about 2 million citizens of the country have not been able to find a job, which is why they are below the poverty line
In addition, the average employer usually does not want to hire people over 45 years old. This approach is explained by the applicant's lack of motivation to achieve the goal and skills of working with computers.
Average and minimum wages
The minimum wage is calculated in the United States based on the minimum hourly rate, the value of which, according to current legislation, is $ 7.25. Thus, with a 40-hour weekly employment, the annual salary should not be less than $ 15,000.
Each state has the right to increase the value of this indicator. The table shows data for some territorial units that are relevant at the beginning of 2021.
| State | Minimum wage, $ / hour | Minimum wage, ₽ / hour |
|---|---|---|
| California | 12.0 - in companies with more than 25 employees; 11.0 - if the company works less than 25 employees | 784.35 and 718.99 |
| Connecticut | 10.1 | 660.16 |
| Massachusetts | 12 | 784.35 |
| Colombia | 13.25 | 866.05 |
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has published the average salary for 2021. It is $ 900 / week. Thus, before taxes, a full-time employee and a worker receive an average of $ 3,818 per month.
Requirements for receiving unemployment benefits
A person who received at one time a salary not less than the minimum can count on the minimum unemployment benefit. Each territorial unit has its own framework. For example, in Maine - from 3.5 thousand dollars, and in Connecticut - from 600. In Virginia and Delaware, restrictions do not apply.
There are certain requirements for an unemployed claimant. He must:
- before obtaining the status of an unemployed, work at a specific place for at least 6, and in some regions - 12 months;
- to be employed in due time in full, and not partially;
- be on the staff of the enterprise, and not fulfill obligations under a work contract or under a contract;
- to be dismissed not of their own free will, but by order of the company's management. And not in connection with violation of the rules and operating hours, but due to staff reductions.
In case of non-compliance with these requirements, even the minimum amount of unemployment benefits in the United States will not be paid to a person.
How can I get benefits
It is best to use the official US government web portal www.usa.gov to find out if benefits are eligible, and if so, how to get them. In the section Government Benefits, Grants, and Loans, you can find information about all the government assistance programs that an unemployed person can count on.
To apply for a benefit, you need:
- Go to the Government Benefits subsection and select the Apply for Unemployment Benefits tab.
- Having stopped your choice on one of the items, study different types of manuals.
- Select a state by clicking on the Select your state button.
- In the window that opens, go to the File a Claim Now tab.
- The online application option will then be available through Services For Individuals.
With the help of this site, you can get information about other payments that you can apply for if you have the status of an unemployed. They will be discussed below.
United States Unemployment Benefit Amount
The answer to the question of what unemployment benefit in America is paid to an unemployed person is as follows: no more than half of his last salary - from 46 to 49%. And here there is one curious moment: the fair sex has a certain advantage over men. As a rule, women's earnings are lower, so the allowance covers an average of 49% of their lost income, while for men it covers 46%.
At the federal level, the scope of legislation under consideration is spelled out only in general terms. Clarification of the payment procedure and its implementation is the prerogative of the municipalities. Therefore, in different states, the amount of state aid is different.
Please refer to the table to find out the order of the numbers. It presents weekly values for this indicator for some states.
| State | Amount per week, $ | Amount per week, ₽ |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 335 | 21686.12 |
| Washington | 311 | 20132.49 |
| Minnesota | 307 | 19873.55 |
| Arizona | 173 | 11199.1 |
| Puerto Rico | 94 | 6085.06 |
According to experts, the amount of unemployment benefits in the United States in 2021 will not differ significantly from 2018. That is, people who have lost their permanent job will, on average, receive about $ 1050 / month.
In general, in February 2021, the American unemployed received benefits totaling $ 2.69 billion.For comparison, in the same month of the previous year, the amount of such payments was $ 2.79 billion.
What are the rights and obligations of the recipient
The beneficiary is required to report to the US Department of Labor at least once a week and provide a report on employment attempts. Government agencies provide the unemployed with all possible assistance, offering lists of available vacancies.
Moreover, the proposed employment options imply a mandatory visit and an interview. Refusal is allowed if the candidacy of the applicant does not suit the employer.
In addition to responsibilities, the officially registered unemployed also has rights. In particular, he can use medical insurance for about 18 months. But only if, prior to dismissal, he worked at an enterprise where insurance premiums were paid by the employer himself. As a rule, these are fairly large organizations with at least 20 employees at the same time.
In addition, under certain conditions, an unemployed person can take out Disability Insurance, Workers' Compensation and other types of assistance.
Other benefits to the unemployed and measures of their social support
The small number of other options for social support confirms the thesis that America is rather scarce in helping the unemployed. Even child support in the United States is not provided for persons in this category. The only option is when the citizen's income level is below the subsistence level. Then he will be recognized as poor and they will begin to charge state aid for caring for the baby.
Then, in addition to cash payments, unemployed parents can count on social benefits:
- food stamps or cards. Issued for the whole family, not just for the child;
- special checks for dairy products for children and other essential goods;
- free or cheaper school meals, including vacation time;
- free medical care for children under 19;
- tax deductions $ 1000 / year for each child.
In addition, there is one interesting approach to supporting the unemployed. It consists in issuing a lump sum to insured persons of this category in an amount sufficient to start a business. Such state aid also provides for retraining and provision of consultations.
Is there an unemployment benefit for expats
Benefits for foreigners in the United States are mostly non-monetary. For example, for emigrants receiving state aid for illness or under the program for the poor, there is a 50 percent discount on public transport.
It is worth knowing about the so-called eighth program, according to which special houses with apartments sponsored from the city budget are allocated
The question of what unemployment benefit is paid in the United States is also relevant for an immigrant who does not plan to return to his homeland and wants to acquire pensioner status in this country.
We will dwell on the numbers below, but now we will say that citizens of another state who are legally in America can become participants in the SSI social program - Supplemental Security Income or "Supplementary Social Security Benefit".
Immigrants are entitled to SSI:
- green card owners;
- who entered the United States on the basis of refugee status and, upon completion of the relevant procedure, received political asylum. They can get SSI within 7 years. If at the end of this period they do not become citizens of the country, they will be removed from SSI, after which these persons will automatically receive a different type of material assistance - welfer.
- a child or woman who has been abused or abused;
- persons who have become unemployed due to loss of working capacity or vision.
Such federal pension benefit is accrued in accordance with the following principles:
- SSI applicant must have worked in the United States for at least 40 quarters (10 years). Moreover, his monthly earnings should be approximately $ 2,800;
- a person with 35 years of work experience, who has reached the age of 70 and received a salary of no more than $ 33.6 thousand per year, can expect to receive the maximum pension benefit of $ 1,600.
And a few more words about Welfer. For this program for persons who have made a decision to immigrate to the United States, the governments of territorial units spend a lot of money annually - from 11 to 22 billion dollars. Its conditions are focused mainly on single mothers with young children.
Comparison of social assistance in the United States with Russia and Europe
When comparing the level of social security in the United States and the Russian Federation, one can state the fact that the situation in Russia is better in the sphere of providing assistance to mothers. So, to improve their lives, it is provided:
- one-time financial assistance at the birth of a baby;
- a monthly subsidy until the child reaches one and a half years of age or 3 years if the mother does not work;
- a one-time subsidy on the occasion of the appearance of a second child - maternity capital in the amount of 453 thousand rubles.
Note that abroad - both in the United States and in European countries - there is no such thing. In Western countries, there is also no cash benefit for maternity leave.
Also, in Europe and the United States, paid parental leave is not provided. Hired workers at the birth of a baby can count on a maximum of 4 months leave without pay. When this period ends, the mother will have two options: go to work or submit a formal letter of resignation.
Thus, the birth of a child in other states is not encouraged in any way.
Conclusion
It can be concluded that the goal of state social assistance in the United States is not at all to increase the army of "professional unemployed", which can be observed in some European countries. To receive benefits, the applicant must write and submit an application to one of the divisions of the US Department of Labor.
An unemployed person who has received a positive decision is carefully monitored by the authorities for attempts to find a job, they offer him free vacancies to choose from. It is mandatory to attend interviews with potential employers. Otherwise, the unemployed may be left without benefits.
