Barred from benefits (from The Uncertain Hour)

![Some of the first recipients wait to receive benefits at the division office of the State Employment Service in San Francisco, California, 1938. Library of Congress

Millions of Americans who are out of work don’t receive unemployment benefits. That’s by design. An episode from The Uncertain Hour’s pop-up season A History of Now.

Tens of millions of Americans are out of work, and millions of them aren’t getting unemployment benefits. That’s on purpose.

This week, we’re featuring a story from our colleagues at “The Uncertain Hour.” In this episode from their new season, “A History of Now,” our producer Peter Balonon-Rosen looks at the history of the United States’ unemployment insurance system, how this country defines “unemployment,” and why the program was never intended to cover everyone who’s not working.

If you like this story, check out the rest of the new “Uncertain Hour” season here. And don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for more stories about the pandemic, as well as some recommendations from our team. Here’s the latest issue, in case you missed it.