Tag: WorkForce WV

West Virginia Unemployment Rate Drops in November

West Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped four-tenths of a percentage point to 6.5 percent in November.

WorkForce West Virginia says in a news release that the number of unemployed state residents fell by 3,200 last month to 52,100.

A loss of 1,000 jobs in the goods-producing sector last month offset an increase of 900 in the service-providing sector.

Job losses in the goods-producing sector included 600 in construction, and 200 each in manufacturing and in mining and logging.

In the service-providing sector, job gains included 700 in trade, transportation and utilities, 600 in educational and health services, 500 in other services and 100 in information. Job declines included 700 in leisure and hospitality and 300 in financial activities.

Nationally, the unemployment rate was unchanged at 5 percent in November.

The Top Five Private Employers in W.Va.

Walmart continues to be the largest private employer in West Virginia.
 

Based on the available records provided by WorkForce West Virginia, Walmart has been the state’s top private sector employer since at least 1999.
 

  • Walmart
  • West Virginia United Health System
  • Charleston Area Medical Center
  • Kroger
  • Mylan Pharmaceuticals

 WorkForce did not release specific employment numbers for each employer on the list.
 
     Rounding out the top 10:

  • Murray American Energy Inc.
  • St. Mary’s Medical Center
  • Lowes Home Centers
  • Mentor Management Inc.
  • Res-Care Inc. 

WorkForce West Virginia Warns of Jobless Tax Scam

 WorkForce West Virginia is alerting employers about a potential scam where people claim to represent the agency and ask for financial information.

Officials say that someone posing as a WorkForce employee emailed an employer this week asking for canceled checks for unemployment tax contributions.

The Charleston Gazette reports that the email was sent from a personal email address and did not come from a WorkForce West Virginia employee.

The agency notes that its electronic correspondence is sent only from wv.gov addresses.

Any employer who receives a suspicious email is asked to call WorkForce West Virginia at 800-252-5627 or email uctaxunit@wv.gov.

WorkForce West Virginia Gets Federal Funds

  WorkForce West Virginia is receiving more than $191,000 in federal funding to help West Virginians who are out of work find employment opportunities.

Sen. Joe Manchin says the funds are through the Re-Employment and Eligibility Assessments program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor.

The federal program helps reduce the number of weeks unemployment insurance benefits are claimed by advancing the re-employment of claimants.

Officials say the funding will be used to conduct in-person assessments at WorkForce West Virginia.

The assessments will include developing individual re-employment plans, providing labor market information, reviewing unemployment benefits eligibility, and providing a referral to relevant re-employment or job training services.

Unemployment Up in 45 W. Va. Counties

Unemployment rates rose in 45 of West Virginia’s 55 counties in May.
 
WorkForce West Virginia says the jobless rate in Pocahontas County rose to 12.3 percent, the highest in the state.
 Monongalia County has the state’s lowest unemployment rate at 4.2 percent, followed by Pendelton at 4.5 percent and Taylor at 4.7 percent.
 
Other counties with double-digit unemployment were Mingo (12), Wetzel (11.5), Webster (10.7), Marion (10.3) and Logan (10).
 
The state’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate in May increased three-tenths of a percentage point to 6.3 percent.

Average W.Va. Worker Earned $478 More in 2013

State officials say the average worker in West Virginia earned $40,199 in 2013, up more than a percent from the year before.

WorkForce West Virginia says the average annual wage in the state rose by $478 last year.

Workers in Boone County continue to have the highest annual average wages at $50,670, followed by Marshall ($50,352), Mingo ($47,600), McDowell ($46,256) and Wyoming ($45,160).

Wirt County had the lowest wages at $25,899, followed by Tucker ($26,516), Pocahontas ($28,199), Summers ($28,696), and Hardy ($29,487).

The data includes workers covered by state and federal unemployment insurance programs.State officials say the average worker in West Virginia earned $40,199 in 2013, up more than a percent from the year before.

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