Utah workers worry as federal unemployment aid expires

Utah workers worry as federal unemployment aid expires

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Federal unemployment aid that has helped avert financial ruin for millions of Americans is expiring in Utah and elsewhere on Saturday, leaving many residents unsure of how they’ll pay their bills as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases rise. Since early in the pandemic, the federal government has added $600 to the weekly unemployment checks. But with the program set to end, many are left wondering how they’ll make ends meet. New unemployment claims in Utah have dropped overall as the state economy reopens, but some jobs haven’t come back. Tens of thousands live-events workers remain in limbo, with little idea of when it might be safe to hold the gatherings.