Effects of Extra Federal Unemployment Benefits Ending in Nebraska

Last Friday was the last day for extra federal unemployment benefits in Nebraska. Before, jobless workers in the state received an extra $300 per week. Some state's federal benefits are scheduled to end in September of this year. Nebraska was one of more than 20 states to end the program.

Dr. Ernie Goss is an economics professor at Creighton University in Omaha and said Nebraska’s unemployment rate was 2.8% in April.

“Nebraska already has the lowest unemployment rate in the nation and, in fact, the current unemployment rate in Nebraska is below the pre-pandemic level, so it will have some impact particularly on the leisure and hospitality industry,” he said. "Other industries, not much of an impact.”

Goss said there are thousands of unemployed in the state that aren’t on benefits. Overall, nearly 15,000 Nebraskans received jobless benefits last week, according to the Nebraska Department of Labor.

As of Monday, there were about 40,000 job openings on the department’s website. For job-finding resources, visit dol.nebraska.gov.