Pandemic shows contrasts between US, European safety nets

The coronavirus pandemic is straining social safety nets all over the world and showing how sharply the U.S. and Europe differ in their approach. Europe’s more generous jobless benefits kick in automatically during a downturn, and that’s happening now. But U.S. workers get less and face the risks of losing health insurance and even possibly their homes through foreclosures when they lose their jobs. The typical U.S. response to trouble is a stimulus package, like the one passed under President Donald Trump and previous one under President Barack Obama during the Great Recession. Either way, the U.S. typically ranks near the bottom in social spending among rich countries.