Maryland eliminating pandemic unemployment benefits in July

Maryland will eliminate pandemic federal unemployment benefits in a little over a month, Governor Larry Hogan announced on Tuesday.

In addition to cutting off the special benefits instituted during the pandemic, the state will reinstate work search requirements.

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The pandemic-era benefits will be cut off on July 3, while the work search requirements will go into effect on July 4.

The governor says the move was made possible by the steps the state has taken in the vaccination campaign.

READ MORE: Maryland to start cracking down on unemployment for those who've been offered their jobs back

On Monday, the state announced that at least 70% of all adult Marylanders have had 
at least one vaccine shot.

Businesses – and the lobby groups representing them – say they’re having trouble filling positions despite the fact that most of them are fully open for business.

READ MORE: Virginia changing criteria for unemployment benefits recipients

Some say the unemployment benefits people have been receiving during the pandemic are too generous.

Neighboring Virginia has already begun re-establishing criteria for unemployment in an effort to restore its work force.