The US economy added 467,000 jobs in January, following 1.1 million added in November and December. More than six in 10 Michiganders believe the state’s job market is strong.
Michigan added nearly 40,000 jobs in 2021, and the state’s unemployment rate fell dramatically. Economists and policy experts attribute the economic boom, in part, to President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan.
Just step inside the dining halls at Michigan State, and you’ll see a trend across the state: People aren’t returning to work. That’s despite a good economy.
The real reason businesses struggle to hire during the economic recovery has little to do with direct COVID relief and a lot to do with poor wages and working conditions.
Fixing Michigan's unemployment system while the future of pandemic relief is uncertain is a tall order, but Liza Estlund Olson hopes to rise to the occasion.