首页
登录
职称英语
(1) Compared with the systems in other industrialized countries, the American
(1) Compared with the systems in other industrialized countries, the American
游客
2024-11-12
32
管理
问题
(1) Compared with the systems in other industrialized countries, the American unemployment-insurance (UI) scheme pays lower benefits for less time and to a smaller share of the unemployed. In expansions this encourages the jobless to return quickly to work—and unemployed Americans do indeed work harder at finding jobs than their European counterparts (see chart). But in recessions, when there is less work to return to, it causes hardship. Like America’s training system, UI is ripe for attention from the incoming Obama administration.
(2) Like much of the social safety net, the current UI system was a product of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. States were prodded to provide benefits in accordance with federal guidelines; in return the federal government paid their administrative costs. But the system has not kept up with changes in America’s labor force.
(3) States often require beneficiaries to have worked or earned an amount that disqualifies many part-time and low-wage workers. They also disqualify people seeking only part-time work—even though many people now work part-time for family reasons. Benefits typically last for only six months, more than enough time to find a new job in normal times but not in recessions. Extended benefits kick in automatically when unemployment reaches certain thresholds, but those thresholds are so high that they are almost never triggered.
(4) Congress therefore has to pass special legislation to extend benefits, as it did twice last year, but political wrangling often delays such action. In the week that ended on December 20th, 586,000 workers filed a first claim for unemployment benefits, the largest number for 26 years. Yet such claimants are, in one sense, lucky: typically, 60% of unemployed people don’t qualify for the benefits at all.
(5) Unemployment insurance is one of the economy’s most important automatic stabilisers, helping to maintain household purchasing power when the economy weakens. But that role is impaired by the short duration of benefits and their skimpy level. At just under $ 300, the average weekly benefit is less than half the average private-sector wage. Mississippi’s maximum benefit of $ 230 is not much more than the federal poverty threshold of $200 for an individual. Benefits are low, in part, because they are financed by payroll taxes that states levy on their employers. States don’t like to raise such taxes, even when times are good. But that means they lack the funds to pay benefits when times are bad, forcing them to raise other taxes or borrow from the federal government, as some 30 states are now considering.
(6) One of the best features of America’s system is "experience rating": employers that frequently lay workers off must pay higher payroll taxes, thereby discouraging such lay-offs. But according to Alan Krueger of Princeton, many states have neutered that feature by charging most employers the lowest tax rate.
(7) Several moves are afoot to mend the flaws in the UI system. Under a bill put forward by Jim McDermott, a congressman from Seattle, the government would offer cash incentives to states to expand eligibility to part-time workers and make the benefit formula more generous. A second bill would significantly expand eligibility for the 46-year old Trade Adjustment Assistance programme, for example by including service-sector workers and providing more generous benefits. Both measures passed the House of Representatives but stalled in the Senate. As a senator, Barack Obama backed both. As president, he might make them reality. [br] Which of the following has NOT been proposed to mend the UI system?
选项
A、To encourage more jobless to return to work.
B、To increase the amount of benefits in the system.
C、To extend the range of beneficiaries to more sectors.
D、To lower the thresholds by which part-time workers are included in the system.
答案
A
解析
细节题。本题考查的信息在最后一段。作者提到政府正在对现行的失业保障体系进行商讨,提出相应的议案,议案里的具体措施有:“expand eligibility to part-time workers”“make the benefit formula more generous”和“including service-sector workers”。[B]是对第二个具体措施的同义转述;[C]表达了第三个具体措施的含义;[D]“降低保障体系的进入门槛”与“expand eligibility”一致。[A]是说鼓励更多的失业者再就业,原文在说明现行的失业保障体系的作用时提到这一内容,但它不是政府商讨的议案内容,故答案为[A]。
转载请注明原文地址:https://tihaiku.com/zcyy/3841807.html
相关试题推荐
Theword"freedom"formanyblackAmericansisinextricablylinkedwiththe
Theword"freedom"formanyblackAmericansisinextricablylinkedwiththe
Theword"freedom"formanyblackAmericansisinextricablylinkedwiththe
Poetrycanbecomparedtopainting.Whenyoulookataworkofart,youfir
Poetrycanbecomparedtopainting.Whenyoulookataworkofart,youfir
Poetrycanbecomparedtopainting.Whenyoulookataworkofart,youfir
Poetrycanbecomparedtopainting.Whenyoulookataworkofart,youfir
Poetrycanbecomparedtopainting.Whenyoulookataworkofart,youfir
Poetrycanbecomparedtopainting.Whenyoulookataworkofart,youfir
Poetrycanbecomparedtopainting.Whenyoulookataworkofart,youfir
随机试题
Moreandmore,theoperationsofourbusiness,governments,andfinanciali
IntheUnitedStates,thefirstdaynurserywasopenedin1854.Nurserieswe
在承包经营期限范围内,通过拍卖方式取得“四荒”土地经营权并依法登记取得权属证书的
A.双肺中内带中下野斑片影 B.肺底贴近心影处有三角致密影 C.心缘模糊
下列关于生长素作用的说法正确的是()。A.不用生长素处理的枝条扦插是不能成活
患者男性,35岁。既往有胆结石,今日晚餐后突然出现中上腹痛,阵发性加剧,频繁呕吐
因被迫执行违法违规指令但按照规定履行了报告义务的,可以从轻、减轻或者免予行政处罚
牙周病易受到以下哪个系统疾病的影响A.心脏病 B.高血压 C.糖尿病 D.
根据相关规定,下列各项中,不应纳入母公司合并范围的是()。A.连续五年亏损的子
大气环境影响评价等级为一级,下列关于补充地面气象观测说法正确的是( )。A.至
最新回复
(
0
)