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Hospitality workers wait in line to apply for unemployment benefits at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP hide caption

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Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP

Fresh Air

Paperwork, lines, hours on hold: There's a 'Time Tax' on Americans who need help most

Annie Lowrey explores the administrative burdens people face applying for government benefits. It's not just about wasted time: "When the government treats us like this, we don't trust it," she says.

Hospitality workers wait in line to apply for unemployment benefits at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP

FA: Annie Lowery, The Time Tax

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