After a weekend of pressure from Republicans and various interests within America’s business lobby, Joe Biden yesterday shifted his position on the $300 unemployment benefits going to laid-off workers as part of the recently passed American Rescue Plan.

“We’re going to make it clear,” said Biden partway through remarks on the state of the economy, “that anyone collecting unemployment who is offered a suitable job must take the job or lose their unemployment benefits.” Attempting to thread the needle between defending his plan and instructing the Labor Department to ensure that no one who turns down “suitable” employment qualifies for the payment, Biden cited COVID-19-related exceptions “so that people aren’t forced to choose between their basic safety and a paycheck” while conceding the essence of the business lobby’s argument that unemployment benefits shouldn’t enable people to avoid going back to work. At the same time, he rejected the idea that benefits are causing any kind of labor shortage, while throwing a bone to those who’ve suggested the best way for employers to entice potential hires is to offer better working conditions:

My expectation is that, as our economy comes back, these companies will provide fair wages and safe work environments. And if they do, they’ll find plenty of workers, and we’re all going to come out of this together better than before.