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ECONOMICS
Controversies Surrounding Covid-19 Unemployment Relief Programs
by: Mishal Khan
The sudden spread of the coronavirus within America beginning in February 2020 has pushed millions of Americans out of work and left hundreds of businesses in financial crisis or complete bankruptcy. According to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, employment during February 2021 in America decreased by over 8 million from the employment rates recorded in February 2020. Moreover, minimum wage workers, immigrants, and Americans with lower levels of education have been affected the most, often getting laid-off or having to look for new employment opportunities due to employers closing down their businesses. In response, congress passed The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, better known as the CARES act, leading to former President Trump’s decision to officially sign the act on March 27th, 2020. This act offered over two-hundred billion dollars worth of