Restraint: Justice was right to walk back comments
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You've heard all the debate over continuing jobless benefits and add-ons while there are so many jobs available. It makes sense then, that Gov. Jim Justice would be doing all he can to get West Virginians back to work -- and off the taxpayers' payroll.
Justice did the right thing, however, in relieving some of the pressure on employers to come up with a match to the state's potential $500 sign-up bonus for those returning to work. Though he said earlier this month the bonus could be as much as $1,000 -- if employers paid half -- Justice walked back those remarks this week, saying he didn't want to put "additional pain on our small businesses," though he said he still believes some would "gladly step up and pay the $500 match."
The number able to do so may not be as high as he thinks.
Businesses with job openings are about to have to pay and in many cases cover some benefits for new employees, before they see any return on investment with revenue brought in by a larger workforce. That $500 may be a small price to pay to see workers leave the state unemployment rolls, but it would have loomed a little larger for employers.
Still, unemployment is at approximately 5.8 percent in the Mountain State, compared with 5.3 percent in March 2020, before the effects of the pandemic had been felt.
"We need to encourage people to get back to work," Justice said.
It is good to see the governor and his staff continuing to look for creative ways to do so, AND that they understand it must be accomplished with as little pain to taxpayers and employers (also taxpayers) as possible.