Annualized unemployment insurance for striking workers cost estimates
| State | Annualized UI benefits to strikers | Annualized state UI expenditures | Striker share of benefits paid per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $62,730,020 | $6,555,195,680 | 0.96% |
| Connecticut | $231,766 | $598,590,377 | 0.04% |
| Delaware | $0 | $66,673,525 | 0.00% |
| Hawaii | $1,178,709 | $209,119,599 | 0.56% |
| Illinois | $1,844,343 | $2,211,344,904 | 0.08% |
| Maryland | $178,856 | $402,433,645 | 0.04% |
| Massachusetts | $8,884,951 | $1,944,361,243 | 0.46% |
| Minnesota | $1,774,881 | $1,137,638,009 | 0.16% |
| New Jersey | $1,290,222 | $2,324,501,562 | 0.06% |
| New York | $14,156,776 | $3,149,717,533 | 0.45% |
| Ohio | $1,000,339 | $839,431,607 | 0.12% |
| Oregon | $1,598,558 | $664,116,332 | 0.24% |
| Pennsylvania | $1,173,171 | $1,856,351,061 | 0.06% |
| Rhode Island | $120,381 | $188,720,469 | 0.06% |
| Washington | $4,165,696 | $1,405,487,874 | 0.30% |
Notes: Annualized figures are based on 47 months of strike and UI data spanning January 2021–November 2024.
Source: EPI analysis of strike data from Cornell University ILR School & University of Illinois LER School’s Labor Action Tracker, January 2021–November 2024, UI program data from the U.S. Department of Labor, and industry employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, March 2023.