Washington – Today the American Action Forum (@AAF) released a new primer on the Unemployment Insurance system (UI).  The primer offers an explanation and definition of the UI, an overview of the program’s creation and use through the decades, a literature review, and the budgetary costs of the UI.

The UI system, which was born out of the severity of the Great Depression, has grown to become a staple of the American social welfare system, with over 4.5 million people currently enrolled. Comprised of three main programs, Regular UI, the Unemployment Compensation Program (EUC) and the Extended Benefits Program (EB), the UI system grew dramatically in the recent recession, as the unemployment rate rose to almost 10 percent and millions were added to the program.

Click here to read a one pager of the primer.

Click here to read the full primer.