Economy

September 2, 2021 by Kelly Allen
Administration Pays Off Loan for Unemployment Fund, Spotlights Break for Employers

West Virginia MetroNews - Gov. Jim Justice announced today that the administration paid off the final $185 million on an interest-free federal loan that had been used as cushion for the state’s unemployment trust fund. Read the full article. The administration had set aside hundreds of millions of dollars in CARES Act funding in anticipation of paying…

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September 2, 2021 by WVCBP
Over Thirty In-State Organizations Urge Support for Robust Budget Resolution That Meets Needs of Workers and Families

For Immediate Release: September 2, 2021Contact: Kelly Allen, 304-612-4180 Charleston, WV – Today over 30 non-profit, advocacy, and direct service organizations representing West Virginia workers and families called on U.S. Senator Joe Manchin and West Virginia's entire federal delegation to support a robust budget resolution that meets the needs of the moment. Supports for workers and families…

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August 31, 2021 by Sean O'Leary
Federal Relief Programs Cut Poverty in West Virginia by 71 Percent

Thanks to the programs enacted through COVID-related federal relief legislation this past year, an estimated 301,000 fewer West Virginians were living in poverty this year than would have been otherwise, a reduction of 71 percent, according to an analysis from the Urban Institute estimating the state's Supplemental Poverty Measure. The Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) measures…

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August 26, 2021 by Sean O'Leary
State of Working West Virginia 2021: Labor, Race, and Solidarity

This report was co-authored by Sean O'Leary, senior policy analyst, and Myya Helm, summer research associate. Read the full report here. Introduction As West Virginia recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic and recession, its path forward remains unclear. For many years, West Virginia has lagged behind the nation in many positive economic indicators, with low earnings…

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August 26, 2021 by WVCBP
14th Edition of State of Working West Virginia Explores Relationship between Declining Worker Power and Rising Economic Inequality in the Mountain State

For Immediate Release: August 26, 2021Contact: Renee Alves, 559-916-5939 Charleston, WV – As West Virginia works to recover from the COVID-19 recession, its path forward remains uncertain. While the pandemic undoubtedly introduced unique hardships, the difficult truth is that West Virginia has been struggling economically for decades. For many years, the state has lagged behind the nation in…

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August 18, 2021 by Sean O'Leary
Study: Unemployment Benefit Cuts have Not had Intended Effect

WOWK - Back in mid-June Governor Jim justice cut the extra $300 in federal weekly unemployment benefits early, which affected 15,000 people in the Mountain State. Watch the full segment. While many argue it was intended to get people back to work, the data shows a different reality. Ask most people in Charleston about ending…

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August 14, 2021 by Sean O'Leary
Statehouse Beat: Part-time Governor is Full-time Delusional

Since I have no earthly idea how video streaming services work, and am too cheap to pay for them if I did, I miss out on a lot of the popular new TV series. Read the full article. However, when I was home for vacation, I did have the opportunity to binge-watch the first season…

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August 12, 2021 by Sean O'Leary
Report: Financial Hardships, Not Employment, Increased after Justice Cut Off Unemployment Benefits

Charleston Gazette-Mail, Huntington Herald-Dispatch - Gov. Jim Justice’s decision to cut off federal enhanced unemployment benefits 12 weeks early did not improve state employment rates or reduce unemployment rolls, but coincided with a sharp spike in West Virginia households experiencing financial hardships, an analysis released Thursday shows. Read the full article. “With the pandemic still…

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