Income and Work

July 30, 2021 by Sean O'Leary
WV Leisure and Hospitality Job Market has Rebounded Since COVID’s Start

Charleston Gazette-Mail, Huntington Herald-Dispatch - West Virginia leisure and hospitality jobs, which were hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic, experienced an 18% employment uptick from June 2020 to June 2021. Read the full article. The number of jobs in the sector grew from 62,800 to 68,000 between January and May of this year. The numbers…

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July 19, 2021 by Kelly Allen
Local Advocates Hold Picnic to Push for More Paid Family Leave

WTRF - The push for paid leave was in full force Monday evening over at the Schwertfeger Shelter at Wheeling Park. Read the full article. A statewide campaign called “Paid Leave Works for WV” was the topic and supporters held a picnic to try to garner support at the federal level for paid family and…

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July 14, 2021 by Sean O'Leary
West Virginia: A Case Study on the Impact of Population Decline

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Meridian Star, Marshall News Messenger, Williston Daily Herald, Brookings Register- There’s nobody here. Read the full article. Well almost nobody. This unincorporated community is in a magnificent corner of the world, garlanded by mountains, picturesque farms planted along the road, eight miles from not one but two ski areas and a state…

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July 13, 2021 by WVCBP
Strong Unions Serve an Essential Role for Black Workers in West Virginia

This post was written by the WVCBP's summer research associate, Myya Helm. Throughout West Virginia’s history, labor unions have played a significant role in bargaining for higher wages and better benefits for workers. During the peak of unionization, West Virginia’s workers enjoyed higher wages, stronger economic output, and lower income inequality than workers in many…

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July 12, 2021 by Seth DiStefano
How the American Families Plan can Improve 90% of West Virginian Kids’ Lives

WOWK13 - On Inside West Virginia Politics, Congress is returning to Washington on Monday, July 12, and Seth DiStefano, the Policy Outreach Director at the West Virginia Center of Budget and Policy, discusses why Congress should prioritize the American Families Plan. Watch the full segment. In July, families with children will begin to see checks as part…

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July 6, 2021 by Kelly Allen
Hard to Find Good Help These Days

Charleston Gazette-Mail - He’s no pushover boss, this Jim Cowie fellow. Read the full article. “I am tough,” says the Suzi’s Hamburgers co-owner. “I work seven days a week, and I’ve worked hard all my life. So, if you’re someone who has to have your phone on you and respond to a new text all…

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June 21, 2021 by WVCBP
346,000 West Virginia Children Eligible to Receive First Monthly Child Tax Credit Payment Next Month

For Immediate Release: June 21, 2021Contact: Kelly Allen or 304-612-4180 Charleston, WV - The White House declared today “Child Tax Credit Awareness Day” to raise knowledge and awareness about the transformative improvements to the Child Tax Credit (CTC) approved as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The CTC provides much-needed relief to families, boosting opportunity and improving…

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June 16, 2021 by WVCBP
Manchin’s Influence in Infrastructure Package Talks Looms Over Hopes for Sweeping Investment in Energy Transition

Charleston Gazette-Mail - In April, the West Virginia Center on Climate Change’s project director envisioned Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., a former scholarship football player at West Virginia University and coal brokerage founder, running with planet Earth tucked under his arm as he heads for the end zone and a game-winning score. Read the full article.…

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June 15, 2021 by Sean O'Leary
Changes in Unemployment Come During the Next Week in West Virginia

West Virginia MetroNews - More than 8,000 state residents receiving unemployment benefits under a pandemic-related program are in their last week of receiving those benefits. Read the full article. Gov. Jim Justice announced last month that the additional $300 weekly benefit would end on June 19. WorkForce West Virginia acting Commissioner Scott Adkins said Tuesday independent…

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June 3, 2021 by Sean O'Leary
Sean O’Leary: Justice’s Decision on Benefits Hurts WV Workers (Opinion)

Charleston Gazette-Mail - Over the past year, the pandemic and our nation’s response have highlighted some of the flaws in our antiquated federal-state unemployment insurance system. Read the full op-ed. The CARES Act addressed some of these well-recognized problems, particularly through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, which provides unemployment benefits to people who do…

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