South Dakota Declines Trump's Weekly $300 Unemployment Benefits Despite High Jobless Rate

United States President Donald Trump signed several executive orders during the weekend amid failing talks for a new coronavirus relief package. The orders include a weekly $300 unemployment benefit to support Americans. South Dakota has declined to receive financial support from the US president.

No need for federal benefits

On Friday, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem said her state did not need the government's financial support. The official said the economy in the region was getting back on its feet and had seen a growth in job opportunities.

According to the New York Post, the governor stated that South Dakota's economy was never shut down during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic. The region recently recovered at least 80 percent of its job losses.

Noem added that her state was the only one across the country that did not have its extended benefits used because they had their insured unemployment rate as the lowest in the United States.

The executive orders were announced last week by Trump and included the federally enhanced unemployment benefits to support Americans suffering from the COVID-19 global crisis. The US president decided to release the orders after Congress failed to agree in extending the previous $600 per week financial support and let it expire in July.

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The executive order has states paying 25 percent of a weekly $400 unemployment benefit. However, several areas expressed their criticism of the order as they were already suffering through financial difficulties. The Department of Labor stated that any $100 payment in regular unemployment benefits could be counted as the requirement.

On Saturday, President Trump tweeted that four states, Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana, and New Mexico, have already applied for and were previously approved to be recipients of the program. Last week, governors from several states, including Alaska, West Virginia, and North Carolina, announced they were included as well.

Effect on states

In early August, Republican Asa Hutchinson and Democrat Andrew Cuomo expressed their worries that Trump's most recent executive orders would adversely affect administrations and local officials of states, as reported by Fox Business.

Despite Noem stating that South Dakota has recovered most of its jobless rate, it recorded 7.2 percent in June, which was more than twice that of March, which saw a 3.1 percent rate.

Various programs have provided more than 28 million Americans with unemployment benefits as of July 25. However, Trump's newest executive order will not be available for all citizens as it requires them to be receiving at least $100 in state benefits.

However, South Dakota is the first state to announce that it does not need federal unemployment benefits. Governor Noem stated that she was glad her administration did not need the financial support the program would have given.

The coronavirus pandemic in the United States has infected more than 5.4 million people and taken the lives of at least 170,000 individuals since the beginning of the outbreak early this year. The federal benefits would provide support to those who lost their jobs after several establishments closed down or furloughed their workers to save money.