GOP lawmakers are debating whether to reduce the payments and to possibly include a bonus for those who accept job offers because of concerns that the generous enhancement is a disincentive to returning to work. Democrats have proposed continuing the $600 benefit into 2021.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Thursday that extending the program, which was part of the $2 trillion economic aid package passed in March, is a priority.
“We’re not going to pay people more money to stay at home than work, but we want to make sure that the people out there that can’t find jobs do get a reasonable wage replacement,” he told CNBC. “So it will be based on approximately 70% wage replacement.”
That would equate to about $200 a week, said Ernie Tedeschi, an economist at Evercore ISI.
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