Can I Go to School and Draw Ui in Wv

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WV News) — Effective at 12 a.m. Saturday, West Virginia will stop participating in all federally funded unemployment compensation programs related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Federal pandemic unemployment programs set to end on June 19 include the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program, which has provided an additional $300 per week to recipients; the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program; the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program; and the Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation program, according to information from WorkForce West Virginia.

"WorkForce West Virginia stands ready to help West Virginians return to the workforce," said acting WorkForce West Virginia Commissioner Scott Adkins. "We know last year was incredibly difficult for many workers in West Virginia, and we want to remind folks we are here for them."

Any weeks filed before June 19 that are eligible under federal program requirements will continue to be processed.

On May 14, Gov. Jim Justice announced the state would stop participating in the federal programs.

The move is an effort to address the "unemployment dilemma" currently faced by the state's businesses, Justice said.

"Those businesses really know that our people should be back to work," Justice said. "And I agree with that wholeheartedly."

The governor acknowledged that "some people out there are still struggling" with the economic impacts of the pandemic, but said the decision to end the additional benefits was aimed at stopping people from taking advantage of the system.

"West Virginians will have access to thousands of jobs, right now," he said. "And we need everybody back to work. Our small businesses and economy depend on it so much."

Justice floated the idea of starting an incentive program for returning workers, which would have seen the state and the employer each put up $500 of a one-time $1,000 bonus for employees who stayed on the job at least 90 days.

On May 25, Justice said he reconsidered the details of the program.

"I don't see any reason to put any additional pain on our small businesses at all," he said. "We need to encourage people to get back to work, and what I'm trying to do now is just balance how much dollars are available from the state so that we can do that, coming as an incentive right from our state."

According to information released by WorkForce West Virginia on May 25, the state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for April was 5.8%, just behind the 6.1% national unemployment rate. The number of unemployed state residents decreased by 1,500 in April to 45,800.

Since April 2020, the state's total non-farm employment has increased 67,600. Employment increases include 27,500 in leisure and hospitality, 11,700 in trade, transportation and utilities, 7,800 in education and health services, 4,100 in professional and business services, 4,000 in construction, 3,600 in government, 3,200 in other services, 3,100 in mining and logging, 2,000 in manufacturing, 500 in financial services and 100 in information services.

Alaska, Iowa, Missouri and Mississippi ended their participation in the federal unemployment programs June 12. West Virginia and 20 other states will end their participation Saturday.

About 2.8 million people were receiving pandemic unemployment benefits in these 25 states as of May 8, according information from the U.S. Department of Labor.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce released a report June 1 identifying what it calls an "urgent crisis" of unemployment in the country.

There are approximately half as many available workers for every open job (1.4 available workers/opening) across the country as there have been on average over the past 20 years (2.8 historical average), according to the report, titled "The America Works Report: Quantizing the Nation's Workforce Crisis."

"The worker shortage is real — and it's getting worse by the day," said U.S. Chamber President and CEO Suzanne Clark. "American businesses of every size, across every industry, in every state are reporting unprecedented challenges filling open jobs. The worker shortage is a national economic emergency, and it poses an imminent threat to our fragile recovery and America's great resurgence."

In May 2021, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce surveyed state and local Chamber of Commerce leaders about workforce challenges in their areas.

Ninety percent reported "lack of available workers" as the main factor slowing the economy in their area—with two-thirds reporting it was "very difficult" for employers in their community or state to hire workers. Respondents were twice as likely to say that lack of workers is holding back the economy as they were to say that COVID is holding it back. Fewer than 1% said it was easy to fill open jobs.

The majority of respondents surveyed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in May reported some degree of difficulty with finding workers.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

The U.S. Chamber also surveyed economists at national trade associations about the workforce challenges in their industries.

Seventy-six percent of the respondents reported that businesses in their industries find it "difficult" (52%) or "very difficult" (24%) to hire workers right now.

These industries included agriculture, construction, health care, hospitality, manufacturing and computer software.

Senior Staff Writer Charles Young can be reached at 304-626-1447 or cyoung@theet.com

Can I Go to School and Draw Ui in Wv

Source: https://www.wvnews.com/news/wvnews/west-virginias-additional-unemployment-benefits-to-end-saturday/article_dee9c0a3-e287-5081-9a20-a418b8af955f.html

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