W.Va. Jobless Rate Inches Down in April

 West Virginia’s unemployment rate inched down in April to 6 percent.

The seasonally adjusted rate is down one-tenth of a percentage point from March. 

WorkForce West Virginia reported Wednesday that the number of unemployed state residents fell by 100 in April to a total of 48,400 statewide.

The West Virginia rate is less than the national rate of 6.3 percent.

Employment gains in West Virginia were recorded in mining and logging, manufacturing, trade, transportation and utilities, professional and business services, educational and health services, leisure and hospitality and government. They were offset by declines in construction, information services and the financial sector.

More Federal Dollars Available to Help Laid-Off W.Va. Miners

Federal dollars are expected to help miners who have recently lost their jobs.Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin announced WorkForce West Virginia will receive…

Federal dollars are expected to help miners who have recently lost their jobs.

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin announced WorkForce West Virginia will receive additional supplemental funding for $ 5,639,376 in National Emergency Grant (NEG) funds.

The money is part of the National Emergency Grant (NEG) funds from the U. S. Department of Labor to continue providing services to workers affected by layoffs and mine closures occurring within West Virginia’s coal mining industry.

In 2012, an emergency grant for $1.8 million was administered by Workforce West Virginia.  That grant provided up to $5,000  for miners and their family members for classroom occupational skills  training. Unemployed miners have attended rapid response meetings to apply and learn more about opportunity for new trainings. The latest funding is in addition to the money allotted to serve displaced mine workers in 2012.

Earlier this week, Patriot Coal sent out “WARN” notices to employees at two West Virginia coal operations. The notice means that layoffs are likely but not guaranteed. Still, the state has endured a decline in mining jobs.

“Layoffs and mine closures are frustrating for our miners and their families – they depend on their jobs to keep food on the table and a roof overhead,” Gov. Tomblin said. “This additional funding, combined with the original grant award, will allow us to provide re-employment services and job training opportunities to 700 mine workers.”

“This additional funding extends the grant through December 31, 2016 and will allow continued reemployment and retraining services to coal miners impacted by mass layoffs and mine closures,” said Russell L. Fry, acting executive director of WorkForce West Virginia.

National Emergency Grants are part of the Secretary of Labor’s discretionary fund.

Updated Friday, April 25, 2014 at 4:10 p.m.:

Workforce West Virginia says dislocated coal miners and their spouses can begin by contacting the United Mine Workers of America Career Center at 304-253-3772 or toll free 877-798-8692 for more information.

Jobless Rate Fell in 41 W.Va. Counties in November

The unemployment rate fell in 41 of West Virginia's 55 counties in November. WorkForce West Virginia said Friday that unemployment rose in 13 counties and…

The unemployment rate fell in 41 of West Virginia’s 55 counties in November.
 
     WorkForce West Virginia said Friday that unemployment rose in 13 counties and was unchanged in one.
 

     The state’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate in November fell one-tenth of a percentage point to 6.1 percent.
 
     Monongalia County had the state’s lowest unemployment rate at 3 percent, followed by Jefferson at 3.3 percent and Pendleton at 3.8 percent.
 
     Wetzel County’s rate of 10 percent was the state’s highest.
 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also released a run down of county by county unemployment numbers earlier this month.

Federal workers in W.Va. beginning to apply for unemployment

So far, about 200 federal employees across the state of West Virginia have begun the process of signing up for unemployment benefits. That’s according to numbers from WorkForce West Virginia.

At the end of the first quarter of this year, West Virginia had 23,270 federal workers. A spokesperson for the state Department of Marketing and Commerce said they expect to have exact numbers on how many of those workers have been furloughed by the end of the week.

West Virginia asked federal workers to wait until the government shutdown hit seven days before signing up for unemployment benefits.

The U.S. hit that mark Monday and the number of West Virginians applying is expected to grow throughout the week, should the shutdown continue.  
 

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