WorkForce West Virginia

Gov. Jim Justice announced Wednesday that West Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is now 3.6 percent. That sets a record for the lowest unemployment rate in state history.

WorkForce West Virginia and the state’s Community and Technical College system are partnering to help hourly workers earn a higher education.

Total employment grew by 2,100 over the month, and the number of unemployed state residents dropped by 1,700 to 29,100, WorkForce West Virginia said in a statement Tuesday.

West Virginia’s unemployment numbers are at record low levels — currently it stands at 3.7 percent. But a nagging problem remains the low labor force participation numbers — that is the number of people who are eligible to work, but aren’t working or not even trying to find a job. Our labor force participation is among the lowest in the country.

West Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped three-tenths of a percentage point to 3.7 percent in December, the lowest rate for the state on record.

Last week, national and state officials released unemployment numbers and they show significant improvement from the height of the pandemic. But in context they may not be as rosy as they seem.

West Virginia’s unemployment rate continues to decline as the state, and the country, recover from the darkest days of the coronavirus pandemic.

West Virginia’s unemployment agency said it was affected by a security breach several months ago.

Coal consumption in the country has been declining since its peak in 2007 and this hurt the economy in Southern West Virginia. The Alliance for the Economic Development of Southern West Virginia is planning a virtual meeting on Thursday, April 29 to brainstorm workforce solutions.

On this West Virginia Morning, the coronavirus has put thousands of West Virginians out of work, but for many navigating the unemployment system has been…