With vaccination rates rising in the U.S., unemployment declined to 5.4% in July 2021, down from a pandemic era high of 10.2% in July 2020.  As the country recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, some states and businesses have reported labor shortages.  To try to get individuals back to work quicker, nine states are using federal money to create “back to work” incentives – one-time payments that go to residents who acquire a job, usually within a certain time frame and with other conditions.  Of the nine programs, only two are explicitly using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, while some use Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) funding, and others use federal relief funds but do not specify which (ARPA, CARES, or both).  Full–time workers in these states could earn between $1,000 to $2,000 for returning to work.  Learn more below!