YOUR LETTERS: On Gov. Parson cutting unemployment benefits

Never let the facts get in the way of a good myth – in this case, that unemployment benefits encourage people not to work.

The facts show otherwise – a Chicago Federal Reserve study found that people on unemployment benefits on average spend more than 14 hours a week job searching and send more than 12 applications a month.

“Those currently collecting benefits search more than twice as intensely as those who have exhausted their benefits,” the Fed study found.

Another reason not to cut benefits – there are eight million fewer jobs available today than before the pandemic.

MICHAEL SORKIN
United Media Guild
St. Louis Post-Dispatch (retired)