West Virginia will no longer participate in federally funded pandemic unemployment compensation programs effective June 19.
Gov. Jim Justice made this announcement during his Friday, May 14, Coronavirus press briefing.
“West Virginians have access to thousands of jobs right now,” Justice said. “We need everyone back to work. Our small businesses and West Virginia’s economy depend on it.”
“We’ve got to have you back to work,” Justice continued. “America is all about work. That’s what has made this great country. For us to not be back to work, if you’re just taking advantage of these programs, that time is over. It needs to end and we need to move forward.”
Before Justice’s announcement, many local businesses were feeling the effects of needing employees, but not having any applicants to fill those positions.
Greater Greenbrier Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ashley Vickers said that because so many local businesses need employees, the chamber is planning to host a job fair.
An exact date or location for the job fair has not been set, but Vickers said they are looking at hosting the event in June.
However, some business owners, like Wayne Rice, owner of Kirk’s Restaurant in Hinton, said that he decided not to participate in a job fair in Summers County recently because he knew no one would come to fill out applications.
“I have 9-10 job openings, but no one to fill them,” Rice said.
At the start of the pandemic, Rice had to shut the doors to his business when the dining rooms were closed to the public. He said he tried to do take-out orders only, but after only a week, he ended up losing money. Then, when he was able to open the dining room on restricted hours, he and his wife, Kathy, both got Covid, which caused the restaurant to be closed for 3-4 more weeks.
Since fully reopening, Rice said that he has been working with a staff of only eight people. As a result, he is only able to keep the restaurant open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
“Nobody has been wanting a job,” Rice said. “This is just ridiculous. Right now we have record unemployment in this country, but businesses can’t find people to work. We have never been in this situation in America — record unemployment, but yet nobody can find anybody that will work.” “How do you get in that kind of situation?,” Rice continued. “The government has hindered business to the extent that business can’t even operate.”
Rice said that the starting wage for an employee is $8.75. However, if a person has experience and the ability to work well, he will offer more money.
As for incentives designed to recruit or keep employees, Rice said that he has decided not to offer them.
“I know some people who have offered $1,000 incentives to get their employees to stay with them for three months, but that is a big mistake,” Rice continued. “I refuse to offer incentives because I am not going to get into a match with the federal government when they are going to pay them more than I possibly could — with my tax dollars.”
As for this summer, Rice said he worries that any support provided by the government will come too late to allow him to train employees and get the restaurant running at full capacity.
“I am just taking this one day at a time,” Rice said. “The business is out there if you can take care of it, but, right now, we can’t take care of it.”
He added that he does feel blessed that he was able to fulfill his dream of opening his own restaurant 28 years ago, and although he has no intentions of closing, he does worry about what the future might bring.
“We are in a place right now where our local legislators must change something to save our state — like Florida, Texas, South Dakota and Montana have done,” Rice said. “They are totally getting away from unemployment by not taking the federal funds anymore. They are making people get back to work,” Rice stated.
As for West Virginia officials, Rice said they should have reacted to this a long time ago.
When President Joe Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance was extended until September 6, 2021.
This meant that thousands of people who lost their jobs because of the Coronavirus pandemic could receive extended benefits with a weekly supplemental benefit of $300 per week.
This was great news for those receiving the unemployment benefits, but following Justice’s announcement, West Virginia will be heading in a different direction.
According to information provided by those with Workforce WV, federal pandemic unemployment programs set to end on June 19 include the following:
— Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), which provides for an additional $300 weekly payment to recipients of unemployment compensation;
— Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), which provides benefits for those who would not usually qualify, such as the self-employed, gig workers and part-time workers;
— Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), which provides for an extension of benefits once regular benefits have been exhausted;
— Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC), which provides an additional $100 benefit to certain people with mixed earnings.
Acting WorkForce WV Commissioner Scott Adkins stated “Workforce West Virginia stands ready to help West Virginians return to the workforce. 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.
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