The longer you're unemployed, the less money you'll make in the future. People who are out of work for more than 6 months have a harder time finding a job and end up earning less than those who weren't unemployed. It takes almost 20 years for their earnings to catch up. Being unemployed for a long time also makes it harder to buy a home. So, policies that help people get back to work faster can reduce the negative effects of long-term unemployment.