Tackling COVID-19 in the Workplace: Expanded Unemployment Eligibility and Benefits under the CARES Act are Just What the Doctor Ordered

Efforts to “flatten the curve” through social isolation have been critical for public health but have sparked an unprecedented employment crisis, with unemployment claims far surpassing those of the 2008–09 financial crisis. Missouri and Illinois have seen similarly dramatic spikes, overwhelming state unemployment systems and suggesting the true scope of job loss may be even greater. In response, the CARES Act significantly expanded unemployment benefits by increasing payments, extending eligibility, and covering workers affected directly by COVID-19 as the economy struggles toward recovery.