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.

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5472x3076+0+372/resize/5472x3076!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fcf%2Fc0%2F3a461d74412cb8283a55e542d473%2Fap21168804150513.jpg' alt='Hospitality workers wait in line to apply for unemployment benefits at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.'/><p>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.</p><p>(Image credit: Marcio Jose Sanchez)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-5946449' />