Widespread business closures and social distancing practices led to an unprecedented fall in employment and rise in unemployment in the United States in March and April, although the labor market has improved somewhat since May. Extended and more generous benefits for the unemployed and measures to encourage businesses to retain workers have been the focus of the labor policy response. Although new policies strongly incentivize work share, program take up has been relatively low thus far. As key labor policy measures will expire at the end of July, the US Congress is debating a new relief package.