Changed by pandemic, many workers won’t return to old jobs

(AP) – Many workers emerging from the pandemic don’t want to return to the jobs they once had. Layoffs and lockdowns combined with enhanced unemployment benefits and stimulus checks gave many Americans the time and the financial cushion to rethink their careers. Some employers and business groups are calling for an end to the $300-per-week federal unemployment supplement, saying it’s giving recipients less incentive to look for work. But a senior economist with the Economic Policy Institute, says health concerns and child care responsibilities are the main reasons holding workers back.