Tens of millions are out of work because of the coronavirus pandemic. Many wonder what they'll do when extra federal employment benefits are set to run out at the end of July. Ted S. Warren/AP hide caption
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Workers prepare takeout orders May 1 in Houston. For more than two out of three unemployed workers, jobless benefits exceed their old pay, researchers say. That discrepancy can raise awkward questions for workers, bosses and policymakers. Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Launched during the Great Depression, the unemployment insurance system has seen unprecedented strain during the coronavirus crisis. Olivier Douliery AFP via Getty Images hide caption
How A Decades-Old Unemployment Insurance System Is Measuring Up In The Pandemic
The economic rescue package passed by the Senate this week would let gig workers and other self-employed people seek unemployment benefits they wouldn't normally qualify for. John Minchillo/AP hide caption
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell leaves the Senate floor on Wednesday as the U.S. Senate was poised to pass a massive relief package for Americans and businesses ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic. Alex Edelman/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
As the weather warms, will more signs such as this pop up? Economists say the latest data on claims for unemployment benefits may signal that better times are ahead. Eric Gay/AP hide caption