Biden to Improve Jobless Aid Screening in Racial Equity Push (1)

President Joe Biden‘s administration will send money to states to improve how they screen applicants for unemployment payments, after fraud prevention software incorrectly blocked jobless Americans from receiving checks during the pandemic.

The initiative, highlighted Thursday and outlined by the Labor Department in August 2021, is part of a broader plan to improve how federal agencies serve marginalized groups, including low-income Americans, people of color, and those with disabilities. Dozens of states held up Americans’ unemployment checks during the pandemic because officials couldn’t verify their identities accurately online—leaving jobless applicants without promised income to stay afloat.

Biden on Thursday ...