Comment by TimorousBestie

The height of unemployment in the US was 14.8% in April 2020. By the end of summer it was down to 7% and continued to fall.

15% unemployment is high, but it’s definitely not “everyone stopped working entirely.”

The CARES Act authorized a one-time payment of $1,200/$500 per adult/child in March 2020, an extension added $600/per in December.

The American Rescue Plan Act passed in February 2021 and added $1400/per.

This is the closest the US got to UBI-adjacent policies at the federal level.

It’s difficult to believe that the first payment caused a massive spike in unemployment, but the subsequent two did not.