Economy White Paper Series

As the Federal and state governments rush to try and offset the impact from massive surges in COVID-19 related unemployment, the rapid and almost frenzied implementation of policy has left some groups at greater risk of not receiving pandemic-related aid. Our new analysis takes a deep dive into the neighborhoods and communities of Riverside County and finds that a significant proportion of workers there are unlikely to receive unemployment insurance funds from the Federal CARES Act. .

The analysis identifies three main clusters in Riverside County where workers are at high risk of receiving the fewest benefits, and also calls out differences between racial groups. The authors find that inequality exists in very close proximity, which they say is a critical detail for local leaders to understand in order to develop policies that steer benefits towards residents who are least likely to receive Federal funds.