By Orphe Divounguy, includes “Most of the employment recovery is concentrated in a few states, and Covid-19 vaccination rates seem to have nothing to do with it. … What do seem to be driving the differences in Americans getting back to work are state and local government policies. More affordable and business-friendly states are near or above pre-pandemic employment levels. … debt repayment and public-employee retirement costs constrained states such as Connecticut, Illinois and New Jersey. …”