Pandemic unemployment boost gone for nearly 8% of population

Eleven states have now ended the expanded federal unemployment program early in an effort to reinvigorate the labor market.

Alabama, Idaho, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming all stopped the program on Saturday, joining Alaska, Iowa, Mississippi, and Missouri to bring the benefits to an early conclusion last weekend. That means about 8% of the total U.S. population has phased out of the pandemic-era assistance ahead of schedule — a number that reportedly amounts to about 417,000 workers currently receiving the $300 payments.