DOL Extends Jobless Benefits to Those Refusing ‘Unsafe’ Work

Laid-off workers who refused to return to a job they considered unsafe during the pandemic should have an easier time getting federally funded jobless benefits, under new guidance from the U.S. Labor Department.

The program letter issued to state unemployment agencies Thursday delivers on President Joe Biden’s call last month to ensure benefits are available for people who decline work that would jeopardize their health. Labor Department officials told reporters they expect it to take until late March, possibly longer, for state agencies to implement the policy changes.

“The workers and families who give so much to make this nation ...