Earlier this week, Governor Jim Justice unveiled his plan for reopening West Virginia’s businesses, dubbed “The Comeback”. Among the businesses slated to open first under his plan are day care centers, restaurants, and professional services including hair and nail salons. West Virginians who work in these sectors will be among the first back to work…
Blog
According to last week's data release, 46,251 initial unemployment claims were filed in West Virginia during the week ending April 18, by far the highest number in state history. Prior to the current crisis, the highest number of initial claims in a week was 5,877, back in 1999. With 104,904 continued claims from the previous…
As more West Virginians became vaccinated, and the American Rescue Plan (ARP) supported the economy, West Virginia began to see strong improvements in 2021. But new COVID variants threatened the recovery, and the impact of the ARP has begun to fade. And the depth of the downturn means that West Virginia still has a long…
Although Congress allocated $1.25 billion in state fiscal aid for West Virginia in the CARES Act that passed last month, it's highly likely this will not be enough money to shore up state and local government budgets from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. To make matters worse, the U.S. Treasury issued guidance on…
Much of the conversation on record job losses in West Virginia over the past five weeks has centered on our state’s unemployment insurance system, and with good reason. According to Governor Justice and WorkForce WV, at least 130,000 residents have filed initial unemployment claims since school closures and stay-at-home orders began, and that figure does…
Congress must take specific action to help coalfield communities rebound from the economic challenges that existed before COVID-19 and that continue to worsen amidst the pandemic. At the same time, actions to stimulate the economy must have the support of communities directly impacted by abandoned mine sites, including when and whether to start working in…
With tens of thousands of West Virginians losing their jobs and filing for unemployment insurance benefits as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupts the economy, there is renewed interest in "work sharing" programs. Work sharing gives businesses the option of reducing the hours and wages of their employees instead of laying them off. Workers with reduced wages…
In mid-March, at the same time that schools and businesses across the state were being closed due to COVID-19, households also began receiving invitations in the mail to complete the 2020 Census. As one could imagine, the timing was not ideal. For families scrambling to find child care solutions, put food on the table, and…
Over the past several weeks, Congress has passed three major bills in response to the coronavirus crisis: the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act which provided $8.3 billion in emergency funding for federal agencies to respond to the coronavirus outbreak, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act which provided for paid sick leave, insurance coverage…
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 186,000 workers in West Virginia were employed in six broad industries that are now considered the frontlines of the response. Nurses, janitors, grocery clerks, child care staff, bus and truck drivers, these are the essential workers in our state and our economy, and the current crisis has done little to…