Oklahoma Is Giving $1,200 To Unemployed Workers Who Find Jobs

Oklahoma is giving unemployed residents a $1,200 to return to work.

Governor Kevin Stitt on Monday announced a new program that will pay people currently drawing unemployment benefits if they find a job.

The money will go to the first 20,000 Oklahomans who apply for the program and stay at their new full-time job for at least six weeks, according to the state's website.

“This is the right move for Oklahoma. Since our state has been open for business since last June, the biggest challenge facing Oklahoma businesses today is not reopening, it’s finding employees. For Oklahoma to become a Top Ten state, workforce participation must be at a top level and I am committed to doing what I can to help Oklahomans get off the sidelines and into the workforce," Stitt said on Monday.

Business owners in Oklahoma and much of the U.S. are having a hard time hiring new employees despite unemployment rates being above their pre-pandemic levels. Low pay, a lack of childcare, and personal health concerns are among the many reasons why many have decided not to return to the workforce, Business Insider reported.

Stitt also said on Monday federal pandemic unemployment benefits will end on June 26. This includes the $300 given in addition to the state's weekly unemployment benefits.

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