Re-Examining Unemployment Insurance as a Potential Safety Net for Workers at Risk of Public Assistance Receipt

摘要

The Unemployment Insurance (UI) program provides financial assistance during periods of unemployment to workers who find themselves between jobs through no fault of their own. However, there is growing concern whether the UI program can provide an adequate safety net for workers who tend to be at risk for financial hardship. This is because such workers may have greater difficulty meeting the eligibility requirements for UI benefits pertaining to their accumulated work experience and the circumstances surrounding their unemployment. This paper will examine whether financially vulnerable workers, in particular those at risk of public assistance receipt, would likely qualify for UI in the event they were to become unemployed.