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Justice pushes more people to Job Jumpstart program

CHARLESTON — Despite unemployment numbers in West Virginia being at record lows, Gov. Jim Justice hopes to reverse the state’s labor force participation rate that was low even before COVID-19 by paying people to return to the workforce.

Speaking during his Monday virtual briefing at the Capitol, Justice encouraged more non-working West Virginians to sign up for the Job Jumpstart program through WorkForce West Virginia.

The Job Jumpstart program, based on a similar program offered in Oklahoma, provides eligible residents with $1,500 if they were previously unemployed, became employed after Jan. 1 and for eight consecutive weeks worked 32 or more hours per week.

“If they’re back to work and on the job and qualify for eight weeks of work and then beyond that, they’re off and going,” Justice said.

The program was also open to residents who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and enrollees in approved WorkForce certification and training programs beginning Jan. 1 through Aug. 12.

According to WorkForce, 14,685 West Virginians have applied for the Job Jumpstart Program, with 12,533 residents approved already, coming out to more than $18.7 million.

“Our unemployment numbers are so low, it’s off the chart,” Justice said. “But we just got 12,533 more West Virginians back into the workforce by doing this little nothing program. It’s good stuff, a real success.”

“Currently, nearly 86% of applicants have met the requirements and qualify for this program,” said Scott Adkins, acting commissioner of WorkForce West Virginia, in a statement Monday morning. “WorkForce West Virginia remains committed to assisting West Virginians experiencing unemployment and providing access to necessary resources.”

In promoting the program, Justice has told the story of two fast food workers who returned to work because of the Job Jumpstart program.

“They were so proud to be back at work. That’s what this is all about,” Justice said. “They probably had a feeling of hopelessness, but now they’re back on the job and back to work. We need them. Our small businesses need them so badly, it’s unbelievable.”

According to the most recent data available by WorkForce, West Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, the metric that measures the number of residents receiving unemployment benefits, for February was 3.9%, setting a record low for the state’s unemployment rate for five months in a row.

The unemployment rate prior to the COVID-19 month-long shutdowns of businesses in 2020 spiked to 15.2% in April 2020, but the unemployment rate returned to pre-pandemic lows 16 months later.

However, the labor force participation rate that measures the number of residents either working or looking for work for February was 55%. The state’s labor force participation rate is among the lowest in the nation according to the St. Louis Federal Reserve. State officials hope the Job Jumpstart Program can help improve the state’s labor force participation rate.

“The Job Jumpstart Program has had a very successful kickoff, and we encourage West Virginians who are returning to work or who have completed a training or certification program to continue to apply for these funds,” Adkins said.

Steven Allen Adams can be reached at sadams@newsandsentinel.com.

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