Momentum Lost Along With 1,000 Jobs in December – After adding 3,400 jobs in October and November, West Virginia took a step back in December, losing 1,000 jobs as 2011 came to a close. December was the worst month for job creation in West Virginia since May 2011. Total jobs in the state now number 754,500, while the unemployment rate remains unchanged at 7.9 percent. West Virginia’s jobs count is now 5,800 jobs below its prerecession levels. Read
West Virginia’s job market made solid progress in 2011. After starting the year at 9.6 percent, the state’s unemployment rate fell steadily throughout the year, dropping below nine percent in April and below eight percent in November, ending the year at 7.9 percent. However, this rate is still far above the state’s pre-recession level of less than four percent.
