RALEIGH — People who are unemployed in North Carolina will be required to prove they're searching for work in order to keep their jobless benefits.
The Raleigh News & Observer reports that Gov. Roy Cooper issued an executive order to that effect on Monday.
But people who are currently on unemployment will not be affected. The governor's order will impact only “new claimants who apply for unemployment benefits on or after March 14, 2021.”
The work search requirement is typically required of everyone on unemployment. But Cooper waived that requirement a year ago when the coronavirus began.
But more businesses are reopening. And federal unemployment benefits are set to expire. The governor said this change will help ensure that people are able to get help finding and landing jobs.
“More jobs are being created as we begin to emerge from the pandemic, and people who are out of work need help getting them,” Cooper said in a press release. “Unemployment payments have been critical for families and we want them to have jobs before the payments end.”
