Gianforte’s move, meant to encourage people to get back into the workforce, highlights an ongoing debate about whether the government programs make it appealing to be unemployed, acting as a disincentive to seeking work. (Some academic studies have found it’s not.) There is a labor shortage in Montana, the governor said, and the state’s unemployment rate has dropped back down to 3.8%, near pre-pandemic lows. “Montana is open for business again, but I hear from too many employers throughout our state who can’t find workers,” Gianforte said in a statement. “Incentives matter,” he continued, “and the vast expansion of federal unemployment benefits is now doing more harm than good. We need to incentivize Montanans to reenter the workforce.” To that end, Gianforte said unemployment beneficiaries in Montana who find a job and work at least four weeks will receive a $1,200 return-to-work bonus.
