Unemployment Insurance: Receipt of Benefits Has Declined, with	 
Continued Disparities for Low-Wage and Part-Time Workers	 
(19-SEP-07, GAO-07-1243T).					 
                                                                 
The Unemployment Insurance (UI) program has been a key component 
in ensuring the financial security of America's workforce. In the
72 years since the UI program began, the nature of work has	 
changed in fundamental ways. In recent decades the number of	 
low-wage jobs, the average duration of unemployment, and the	 
number of women in the workforce have all increased. This	 
testimony addresses: (1) the overall trend in the usage of UI;	 
(2) the likelihood that low-wage workers will be unemployed and  
receive UI benefits, especially when compared to higher-wage	 
workers; and (3) the likelihood that part-time workers receive UI
benefits. This testimony is based primarily on GAO's September	 
2007 report (GAO-07-1147) on the same topic as well additional	 
analyses. In that report, GAO made no recommendations and the	 
Department of Labor generally agreed with the findings. For that 
report, GAO analyzed data on UI regular program recipiency rates 
provided by Labor, and GAO examined data from the Survey of	 
Income and Program Participation (SIPP), a national database	 
maintained by the Bureau of the Census. For GAO's purposes, SIPP 
data were available for the periods 1992 through 1995, 1998 and  
2003.								 
-------------------------Indexing Terms------------------------- 
REPORTNUM:   GAO-07-1243T					        
    ACCNO:   A76497						        
  TITLE:     Unemployment Insurance: Receipt of Benefits Has Declined,
with Continued Disparities for Low-Wage and Part-Time Workers	 
     DATE:   09/19/2007 
  SUBJECT:   Eligibility determinations 			 
	     Employment 					 
	     Federal/state relations				 
	     Labor force					 
	     Part-time employment				 
	     Unemployment compensation programs 		 
	     Unemployment insurance				 
	     Unemployment insurance benefits			 
	     Unemployment rates 				 
	     Program goals or objectives			 
	     Program implementation				 
	     DOL Unemployment Insurance Program 		 

******************************************************************
** This file contains an ASCII representation of the text of a  **
** GAO Product.                                                 **
**                                                              **
** No attempt has been made to display graphic images, although **
** figure captions are reproduced.  Tables are included, but    **
** may not resemble those in the printed version.               **
**                                                              **
** Please see the PDF (Portable Document Format) file, when     **
** available, for a complete electronic file of the printed     **
** document's contents.                                         **
**                                                              **
******************************************************************
GAO-07-1243T

   

     * [1]Background
     * [2]Since the Mid-1980s, the Recipiency Rate Has Shown Modest In
     * [3]Low-Wage Unemployed Workers Were Less Likely to Receive UI B
     * [4]Unemployed Part-Time Workers Were Significantly Less Likely
     * [5]Contact and Acknowledgments
     * [6]GAO's Mission
     * [7]Obtaining Copies of GAO Reports and Testimony

          * [8]Order by Mail or Phone

     * [9]To Report Fraud, Waste, and Abuse in Federal Programs
     * [10]Congressional Relations
     * [11]Public Affairs

Testimony

Before the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support, Committee
on Ways and Means, House of Representatives

United States Government Accountability Office

GAO

For Release on Delivery
Expected at 1:00 p.m. EDT
Wednesday, September 19, 2007

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE

Receipt of Benefits Has Declined, with Continued Disparities for Low-Wage
and Part-Time Workers

Statement of Cynthia M. Fagnoni, Managing Director
Education, Workforce, and Income Security Issues

GAO-07-1243T

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee:

I am pleased to be here to discuss the extent to which low-wage and
part-time workers receive Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits. The UI
program--a federal-state partnership designed to partially replace lost
earnings of individuals who become unemployed through no fault of their
own, and to stabilize the economy during economic downturns--has been a
key component in ensuring the financial security of America's workforce
for more than 70 years. In fiscal year 2006, the UI program covered about
130 million workers and paid about $30 billion in benefits to about 7
million workers who lost their jobs.

When the UI program was established in 1935, most of the labor force
consisted of men who were employed full-time in the manufacturing or trade
sectors. Since then, the nature of both work and unemployment has changed
in fundamental ways. In recent decades the share of low-wage jobs, the
incidence of temporary and contingent work, the number of women in the
workforce and the number of two-earner families, and the average duration
of unemployment have all increased. Given these changes in the labor
force, questions have been raised about the types of workers who are most
likely to receive benefits.

My remarks today will focus on (1) the overall trend in the usage of UI;
(2) the likelihood that low-wage workers will be unemployed and receive UI
benefits, especially when compared to higher-wage workers; and (3) the
likelihood that unemployed part-time workers will receive UI benefits. My
testimony today is based on our September 2007 report on UI and low-wage
workers.^1 For that report, we analyzed data on UI regular program
recipiency rates provided by Labor, and we examined data from the Survey
of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), a national database maintained
by the Bureau of the Census.^2 For this testimony we conducted one
additional test of the difference between low- and higher-wage workers
with regard to receipt of UI.^3 We conducted this work between June and
September 2007 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing
standards.

^1GAO, Unemployment Insurance: Low-Wage and Part-Time Workers Continue to
Experience Low Rates of Receipt, [12]GAO-07-1147 (Washington, D.C.: Sept.
7, 2007).

^2We defined low-wage as an hourly wage which is less than that required
for a full-time worker (40 hours per week/52 weeks per year) to earn the
Census poverty threshold for a family of four (less than $8.97 per hour in
2003.)

^3We tested whether the relative likelihood of receiving UI for low-wage
workers compared to higher-wage workers - that is, the ratio of UI rates
of receipt -- changed over time.

In summary, we found that the overall rate of UI receipt amongst workers
has shown modest increase from the mid-1980s to 2005, but still remains
below the near-50 percent rate of the 1950s. A comparison of UI receipt by
earnings levels shows that low-wage workers were less likely to receive UI
benefits than higher-wage workers. Moreover, the gap between the two
groups has not narrowed over time. Between 1992 and 1995--the period
covered in our previous analysis--low-wage workers were about half as
likely to receive UI benefits as higher-wage workers. For the years 1998
and 2003--the years added for this analysis--they were about one-third as
likely. Low levels of UI receipt among low-wage workers may be explained
by the circumstances of low-wage workers in relation to UI eligibility
rules, particularly the time frame during which workers earnings are
counted toward UI eligibility, which excludes workers' most recent
earnings in many states. The low levels of receipt may also be explained
by low-wage workers' reasons for separating from work in relation to
eligibility rules, which in many states do not recognize illness or
disability of a family member as "good cause" for leaving employment.
Another group facing low rates of UI receipt is part-time workers.
Unemployed part-time workers were significantly less likely to collect UI
than those who were full-time. This is true regardless of whether they
were low-wage or higher-wage. About two-thirds of states do not consider
workers eligible for UI if they are only available for part-time work. In
addition, like low-wage workers, some part-time workers may have
difficulty meeting the minimum earnings requirement in states that do not
count workers' most recent earnings.

Background

Established by Title III of the Social Security Act in 1935, UI is a key
component in ensuring the financial security of America's workforce. The
UI program's primary objective is to temporarily replace a portion of
earnings for workers who become unemployed through no fault of their own.
Another key function is to stabilize the economy during economic
downturns.

To receive UI benefits, an unemployed worker generally must meet the state
minimum earnings requirements (a minimum amount of earnings and/or
employment) over a defined base period. In addition, workers must have
become unemployed for good cause as determined under state law and be able
and available to work. Federal law provides minimum guidelines for state
programs and authorizes grants to states for program administration.
States design their own programs, within the guidelines of federal law,
and determine key elements of these programs, including who is eligible to
receive state UI benefits, how much they receive, and the amount of taxes
that employers must pay to help provide these benefits.^4 State
unemployment tax revenues are held in trust by the Secretary of the
Treasury and are used by the states to pay for regular weekly UI benefits.
Benefits typically can be received for up to 26 weeks, although in most
states some workers qualify for less than the full 26 weeks due to uneven
earnings or brief work histories.

During the years we examined between 1992 and 2003,^5 low-wage workers
made up about 50 percent of the unemployed former workers in our sample of
the experienced labor force, even though they were only about 30 percent
of the total experienced labor force.^6 Previous GAO work has shown that
the likelihood of receiving UI benefits among UI-eligible workers is lower
for those with lower annual earnings, controlling for a range of economic
and demographic factors.^7

Since the Mid-1980s, the Recipiency Rate Has Shown Modest Increase, But Still
Remains below the Near-50 Percent Rate of the 1950s

From 1950 through the mid-1980s, the UI regular program recipiency rate
gradually declined, dropping to its lowest point in the early 1980s. Since
the mid-1980s, the UI recipiency rate has shown modest increase.

^4UI benefits are funded through payroll taxes levied on employers. All
state UI systems are experience-rated so that employers' contributions
vary according to how much or how little their workers received
unemployment benefits.

^5Analysis based on SIPP data from 1992 to 1995, 1998, and 2003. Data for
1996, 1997, and 1999 to 2002 were not available. New SIPP panels were
initiated each year from 1990 to 1993, in 1996, and in 2001. These panels
provided us with 27-month employment histories for sample members in 1992
through 1995, 1998, and 2003. Sufficient data for 1996, 1997, and 1999 to
2002 were not available because no new SIPP panels were initiated in the
years 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, or 1999. A 3-year panel was started in 2000
but cancelled after 8 months for budgetary reasons, and thus could not be
used for our analysis.

^6Our calculations of unemployed former workers excluded people who did
not have a job in the 27-month period before the month that they were
unemployed. Thus, all new entrants and some reentrants into the labor
force were excluded.

^7GAO, Unemployment Insurance: Factors Associated with Benefit Receipt,
[13]GAO-06-342 (Washington, D.C.: Mar. 7, 2006).

Figure 1: Average UI Recipiency Rate Since 1950

Note: Recession years are shaded. Any year with at least one quarter in a
business cycle contraction (as defined by the National Bureau of Economic
Research) is defined as a recession year.

As we noted in our 2000 report, two factors are considered significant to
the decline of UI receipt: the decrease in the number of workers employed
in manufacturing jobs and the decline of union membership in the
workforce. In the past, manufacturing layoffs produced large numbers of
employees who were unemployed through no fault of their own, and thus were
eligible for benefits. For their part, unions played a role in making
workers aware of benefits. Others have suggested that the migration of
manufacturing to the South, Midwest, and West may have also played a role
in the decline, given that in some of these states workers are less likely
to be unionized and benefits are less generous.

Low-Wage Unemployed Workers Were Less Likely to Receive UI Benefits Than Were
Their Higher-Wage Counterparts

Low-wage workers were more likely to be unemployed but less likely to
receive UI benefits than higher-wage workers.^8,9 Compared with
higher-wage workers, low-wage workers were at least twice as likely to be
unemployed between 1992 and 2003.

Figure 2: Unemployment Rate, 1992 to 2003

Notes: Data for 1996, 1997, and 1999 to 2002 were not available.

Differences between low- and higher-wage workers in every year were
significant at the 99 percent confidence level.

The overall unemployment rates we calculated differ from the standard
unemployment rates provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For the 6
years presented, standard rates were 7.5 percent for 1992, 6.9 percent for
1993, 6.1 percent for 1994, 5.6 percent for 1995, 4.5 percent for 1998,
and 6.0 percent for 2003. These rates differ because our calculations
excluded workers who were new entrants to the labor force, those who had a
history of self-employment, and those who were younger than 18 or older
than 64 in March of the survey year, and because there were technical
differences between the database we used for our calculations (SIPP) and
that used for the standard unemployment rates (Current Population Survey).

^8Data for 1996, 1997, and 1999 to 2002 were not available.

^9In addition to the results presented here, we also ran all analyses
using the SIPP for a sample of "prime-age workers" (age 22 to 54), for
comparison purposes. Results were similar, although the difference in UI
receipt rates between low-wage and other workers was somewhat smaller than
among workers aged 16 to 64, as was the difference between part-time and
full-time workers.

At the same time, unemployed low-wage workers received UI benefits at less
than half the rate of higher-wage workers in almost every year.

Figure 3: UI Rate of Receipt among the Unemployed

Notes: Data for 1996, 1997, and 1999 to 2002 were not available.

Differences between low- and higher-wage workers in every year were
significant at the 99 percent confidence level.

We calculated the UI rate of receipt by dividing the number of unemployed
workers who reported UI as a source of income by the number of workers who
were unemployed.

Even with similar work tenures, unemployed low-wage workers were still
less likely to receive UI benefits than unemployed higher-wage workers.
Some fifty-five percent of unemployed higher-wage workers who had worked
at least 35 weeks during the year collected UI. In comparison, only some
30 percent of unemployed low-wage workers with similar work tenures
collected UI.

Table 1: UI Rate of Receipt for Low-Wage and Higher-Wage Workers, by
Number of Weeks Worked, Combining SIPP Data for Years 1992 to 2003

                                                                     Relative 
                                                                   likelihood 
                                                                           of 
                                                                    receiving 
                                                                   UI(UI rate 
                              UI rate of receipt^a                 of receipt 
                                                                          for 
                                                                     low-wage 
                                                                      workers 
                                                                   divided by 
Weeks worked    Low-wage                                             rate for 
prior to         workers                                          higher-wage 
unemployment^b (percent) Higher-wageworkers(percent) All(percent)  workers)^c 
35 weeks or                       29.6                 55.0               45.1 .538 
more                                                                                
20-34 weeks                       24.4                 46.1               33.8 .529 
Less than 20                      12.0                 25.4               16.5 .470 
weeks                                                                               
All                               21.8                 47.9               34.9 .455 

Source: GAO analysis of SIPP data.

Notes: SIPP data from 1992 to 1995, 1998 and 2003. Data for 1996, 1997,
and 1999 to 2002 were not available.

Differences between low- and higher-wage workers in each work tenure group
were significant at the 99 percent confidence level.

^aWe calculated the UI rate of receipt by dividing the number of unemployed
workers who reported UI as a source of income by the number of workers who
were unemployed.

^bWeeks worked prior to unemployment is the sum of the number of weeks
that the person worked in the 12-month period immediately before his or
her unemployment. Data are restricted to a subsample of unemployed persons
who had a job during the 15 months prior to unemployment.

^cFor example, among those who had worked 35 weeks or more in the year
prior to their unemployment, low-wage workers were 54 percent as likely to
receive UI as higher-wage workers.

The relative likelihood of receiving UI for low-wage workers compared to
higher-wage workers declined significantly from the earlier period (1992
to 1995) to the later period (1998 and 2003). Specifically, low-wage
workers were about half as likely to receive UI as higher-wage workers in
the earlier period, and about one-third as likely to receive UI as
higher-wage workers in the later period.^10 While this ratio declined, the
absolute difference between the two groups did not change. In the earlier
period, the difference between the two groups averaged 27 percentage
points; in the later period, it averaged 23 percentage points--a
difference that is not statistically significant. ^11

^10We divided the percentage of low-wage workers who received UI by the
percentage of higher-wage workers who received UI in 1992 to 1995 and
compared this to a similarly derived quotient for 1998 and 2003.

^11We subtracted the percentage of low-wage workers who received UI from
the percentage of higher-wage workers who received UI in 1992 to 1995 and
compared the result to the similarly derived difference for 1998 and 2003.

One of the reasons low-wage workers may be less likely to receive UI
benefits is that they are more likely to have worked in industries that
had low rates of UI receipt overall.^12 In 2003, 63 percent of the
low-wage unemployed workers had been employed in jobs from retail trade
and services, as opposed to about one-half (48 percent) of higher-wage
workers.

Figure 4: Industry Sector of Last Job for Unemployed Low-Wage and
Higher-Wage Workers

Note: "Services" includes private household services, business services,
personal services, entertainment/recreational services, hospitals, medical
services, educational services, social services, and other professional
services.

^12This analysis does not control for average wages within industries.

Compared with all other industry sectors, the retail trade and services
industries had the lowest UI rates of receipt.

Figure 5: Average UI Rate of Receipt by Industry, March 2003.

Note: "Services" includes private household services, business services,
personal services, entertainment/recreational services, hospitals, medical
services, educational services, social services, and other professional
services.

We calculated the UI rate of receipt by dividing the number of unemployed
workers who reported UI as a source of income by the number of workers who
were unemployed.

Furthermore, within many industry sectors low-wage workers had lower rates
of UI receipt than higher-wage workers.

Table 2: UI Rate of Receipt by Industry of Last Job and
Low-Wage/Higher-Wage Status, March 2003

                          UI rate of receipt^a                 Relative likelihoodof 
                                  Higher-wage                              receiving 
                         Low-wage     workers     Total UIlow-wage/higher-wage(ratio 
Industry         workers(percent)   (percent) (percent)                 of percents) 
Construction and                   16.5       52.3                               43.8 .316 
mining^b                                                                                   
Manufacturing^b                    26.6       52.6                               42.5 .506 
Services^b                         10.5       31.8                               23.6 .329 
Retail trade^b                      8.4       32.6                               16.8 .257 
Transportation                      7.9       41.4                               32.0 .191 
and utitlities^b                                                                           
Public                             13.2       48.7                               39.6 .272 
administration^c                                                                           
Wholesale                          24.1       51.9                               44.2 .465 
trade^c                                                                                    
Agriculture^c                      38.2       27.1                               34.0 1.41 
Finance^c                          28.5       43.0                               37.8 .664 
Total                              14.8       40.5                               29.7 .365 

Source: GAO analysis of SIPP data, March 2003.

^aWe calculated the UI rate of receipt by dividing the number of unemployed
workers who reported UI as a source of income by the number of workers who
were unemployed.

^bDifferences between low- and higher-wage workers are significant at the
99 percent confidence level.

^cDifferences between low- and higher-wage workers are not statistically
significant.

In addition to the industries in which they work, low levels of UI receipt
among low-wage workers may be explained by the circumstances of low-wage
workers coupled with state UI eligibility rules, particularly the base
period for meeting the minimum earnings requirement. To determine
eligibility for UI, 31 states^13 only consider wages earned and/or time
worked in the first 4 of the prior 5 completed calendar quarters preceding
the claim, according to the National Employment Law Project (NELP).^14
Because the base period in many states excludes the latest calendar
quarter, a worker's most recent work history is not used in making the
eligibility determination. For low-wage workers with sporadic work
histories this exclusion of recent earnings may make it more difficult to
achieve the minimum earning level necessary for eligibility.

^13Out of 51, the remainder, including the District of Columbia, have an
alternative base period.

^14 [14]National Employment Law Project, Testimony of Maurice Emsellem
before the U.S. House of Representatives, Ways and Means Committee,
Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support, March 15, 2007. NELP
provided GAO with a summary updating the information provided at the March
2007 testimony.

Low-wage workers' reasons for separating from work in relation to UI
eligibility rules may be another factor relevant to their lower levels of
UI receipt. A person who voluntarily leaves work must have good cause, as
determined under state law, in order to be eligible for UI. For low-wage
workers, particularly those without paid sick leave, however, issues such
as caring for children or sick family members may make keeping a job more
challenging or result in their needing or wanting certain types of work.
According to the National Employment Law Project, 35 states^15 do not
recognize serious illness or disability of a family member as good cause
for leaving employment.^14

There are other factors that contribute to the higher rates of receipt
among higher-wage workers. In general, UI receipt is associated with
higher earnings before unemployment, longer job tenure, and more
education. First, workers with a history of higher earnings and longer job
tenure generally face longer job searches and this may encourage them to
utilize UI benefits during that search. Also, greater levels of education
may be associated with greater awareness of UI and success in navigating
the system.

Prior receipt of UI may also play a role. Receipt of UI benefits in one
period of unemployment increases the likelihood of using UI again. Because
higher-wage workers are more likely to receive UI in any given
unemployment spell, it is possible that they better understand the safety
net it affords them and may be more likely to utilize it in future spells.
In contrast, the extent to which low-wage workers have been unsuccessful
in establishing eligibility for UI during any given unemployment spell may
discourage future efforts to do so.

^15Including the District of Columbia.

Unemployed Part-Time Workers Were Significantly Less Likely to Collect UI than
Unemployed Full-Time Workers, Regardless of Whether They Were Low-Wage or
Higher-Wage

Unemployed workers who were part-time at their last job were significantly
less likely to collect UI than unemployed workers who were full-time at
their last job. According to the National Employment Law Project, 32
states^16 do not consider workers eligible for UI if they are only
available for part-time work.^14 In addition, like low-wage workers, some
part-time workers may have difficulty meeting the minimum earnings
requirement in states that do not count workers' most recent earnings.
Even when workers had similar job tenures, full-time workers were more
likely to receive UI than part-time workers.

Figure 6: UI Rate of Receipt by Part/Full-Time Status, Unemployed Workers
with at Least 35 Weeks of Employment in Past Year

Notes: SIPP data from 1992 to 1995, 1998, and 2003. Data for 1996, 1997,
and 1999 to 2002 were not available.

The difference between full-time and part-time workers was significant at
the 99 percent confidence level.

We calculated the UI rate of receipt by dividing the number of unemployed
workers who reported UI as a source of income by the number of workers who
were unemployed.

^16Out of 51, the remainder, including the District of Columbia, have some
coverage for workers seeking part-time employment.

Part-time, low-wage unemployed workers were the least likely to receive
UI.

Figure 7: UI Rate of Receipt by Wage and Part/Full-Time Status, Unemployed
Workers with at Least 35 Weeks of Employment in Past Year

Notes: SIPP data from 1992 to 1995, 1998, and 2003. Data for 1996, 1997,
and 1999 to 2002 were not available.

Differences between full-time and part-time workers and differences
between low-wage and higher-wage workers were all significant at the 99
percent confidence level.

Full-time employment is defined as 35 hours per week or more. Data are
restricted to a subsample of unemployed persons who had a job during the
15 months prior to unemployment.

We calculated the UI rate of receipt by dividing the number of unemployed
workers who reported UI as a source of income by the number of workers who
were unemployed.

Mr. Chairman, this concludes my remarks. I would be happy to answer any
questions that you or other members of the subcommittee may have.

Contact and Acknowledgments

For further information regarding this testimony please contact Cindy
Fagnoni at (202) 512-7215. Also contributing to this statement were
Patrick di Battista, Rhiannon Patterson, Gretta Goodwin, and Charlie
Willson.

Related GAO Products

Unemployment Insurance: Low-Wage and Part-Time Workers Continue to
Experience Low Rates of Receipt. [15]GAO-07-1147 . Washington, D.C.:
September 7, 2007.

Unemployment Insurance: Factors Associated with Benefit Receipt and
Linkages with Reemployment Services for Claimants. [16]GAO-06-484T .
Washington, D.C.: March 15, 2006.

Unemployment Insurance: Factors Associated with Benefit Receipt.
[17]GAO-06-341 . Washington, D.C.: March 7, 2006.

Unemployment Insurance: Information on Benefit Receipt. [18]GAO-05-291 .
Washington, D.C.: March 17, 2005.

Highlights of a GAO Forum: Workforce Challenges and Opportunities for the
21st Century: Changing Labor Force Dynamics and the Role of Government
Policies. [19]GAO-04-845SP . Washington, D.C.: June 2004.

Unemployment Insurance: Role as Safety Net for Low-Wage Workers is
Limited. [20]GAO-01-181 . Washington, D.C.: December 29, 2000.

(130814)

This is a work of the U.S. government and is not subject to copyright
protection in the United States. The published product may be reproduced
and distributed in its entirety without further permission from GAO.
However, because this work may contain copyrighted images or other
material, permission from the copyright holder may be necessary if you
wish to reproduce this material separately.

To view the full product, including the scope
and methodology, click on [21]GAO-07-1243T .

For more information, contact Cindy Fagnoni at (202) 512-7215 or
[email protected].

Highlights of [22]GAO-07-1243T , a testimony before the Subcommittee on
Income Security and Family Support, Committee on Ways and Means, House of
Representatives

September 19, 2007

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE

Receipt of Benefits Has Declined, with Continued Disparities for Low-Wage
and Part-Time Workers

The Unemployment Insurance (UI) program has been a key component in
ensuring the financial security of America's workforce. In the 72 years
since the UI program began, the nature of work has changed in fundamental
ways. In recent decades the number of low-wage jobs, the average duration
of unemployment, and the number of women in the workforce have all
increased. This testimony addresses: (1) the overall trend in the usage of
UI; (2) the likelihood that low-wage workers will be unemployed and
receive UI benefits, especially when compared to higher-wage workers; and
(3) the likelihood that part-time workers receive UI benefits.

This testimony is based primarily on GAO's September 2007 report
(GAO-07-1147) on the same topic as well additional analyses. In that
report, GAO made no recommendations and the Department of Labor generally
agreed with the findings. For that report, GAO analyzed data on UI regular
program recipiency rates provided by Labor, and GAO examined data from the
Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), a national database
maintained by the Bureau of the Census. For GAO's purposes, SIPP data were
available for the periods 1992 through 1995, 1998 and 2003.

The overall rate of UI receipt has increased modestly from the mid-1980s
to 2005, but still remains below the near-50 percent rate of the 1950s.

A comparison of UI receipt by earning levels shows that low-wage workers
were less likely to receive UI benefits than higher-wage workers.
Moreover, the gap between the two groups has not narrowed over time.
Between 1992 and 1995--the period covered in GAO's previous
analysis--low-wage workers were about half as likely to receive UI
benefits as higher-wage workers. For the years 1998 and 2003--the years
added for this analysis--they were about one-third as likely.

Low levels of UI receipt among low-wage workers may be explained by the
circumstances of low-wage workers in relation to UI eligibility rules,
particularly rules in many states that do not count workers' most recent
earnings toward their minimum earnings required for eligibility. Low
levels of receipt may also be explained by low-wage workers' reasons for
separating from work, because eligibility rules in many states do not
recognize illness or disability of a family member as good cause for
leaving employment.

Another group facing low rates of UI receipt is part-time workers.
Unemployed part-time workers were significantly less likely to collect UI
than those who were full-time. This was true regardless of whether the
part-time workers were low-wage or higher-wage. About two-thirds of states
do not consider workers eligible for UI if they are only available for
part-time work. In addition, like low-wage workers, some part-time workers
may have difficulty meeting the minimum earnings requirement in states
that do not count workers' most recent earnings.

UI Rate of Receipt among the Unemployed

Notes: Data for 1996, 1997, and 1999 to 2002 were not available.
Differences between low- and higher-wage workers in every year were
significant at the 99 percent confidence level.We calculated the UI rate
of receipt by dividing the number of unemployed workers who reported UI as
a source of income by the number of workers who were unemployed.

References

Visible links
  12. http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-1147
  13. http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-342
  14. http://www.nelp.org/document.cfm?documentID=71
  15. http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-1147
  16. http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-484T
  17. http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-341
  18. http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-05-291
  19. http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-04-845SP
  20. http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-01-181
  21. http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-1243T
  22. http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-1243T
*** End of document. ***