Racial Equality in Jobless Aid Vies With Post-Covid Cost Cutting

The Covid-19 pandemic reinforced the difficulties low-wage workers can face in getting unemployment benefits—particularly in states with large shares of Black workers, where benefits tend to be less generous and shorter-lasting.

But those advocating for change face little appetite for action in Congress, and the midterm elections could make pro-worker federal legislation even less likely if Democrats lose the House or Senate.

The more likely outcome—if past experience is indicative—is a patchwork of tweaks by state legislatures and agencies, funded in part by the U.S. Department of Labor.

In June, Tennessee’s GOP-led legislature shortened the duration of benefits instead of ...