A dramatic shift
Four years ago, no one would have guessed Gov. Ralph Northam would lead the most progressive Virginia administration in modern memory. A native of Onancock on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, as well as a pediatric neurologist and Army veteran, Virginia’s 73rd governor was eyed by some Democrats with suspicion after acknowledging he’d voted twice for President […]
Va. had fewer job openings in October
Virginia had 308,000 job openings in October, the largest drop in openings among U.S. states, as well as 108,000 quits, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) data released Dec. 17. In September, Virginia had a record-setting 336,000 job openings, but in October, openings declined by 28,000, […]
Va. hotel revenues down 19% from Nov. 2019 levels
Virginia hotel revenues in November were 19% below November 2019 levels, according to data released Wednesday by STR Inc., a CoStar Group division that provides market data on the U.S. hospitality industry. During the same period, hotel rooms sold decreased by 12% compared with 2019 levels. The average daily rate (ADR) paid for hotel rooms […]
Va. unemployment rate dropped to 3.4% in November
In November, Virginia’s unemployment rate fell to 3.4%, 0.2 points below October’s rate, marking 18 straight months of declines, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Friday. In November 2020, the jobless rate was 2.4 points higher than last month. The labor force increased by 2,706 to almost 4.26 million, and the number of unemployed residents decreased by 8,627 […]
Trucking on: How truckers are battling historic labor shortage
RICHMOND — From hand sanitizer and vaccines to groceries and toilet paper, truck drivers are trucking through the COVID-19 pandemic despite a historic labor shortage. Many industries moved workers home during the start of the pandemic, but truckers worked “to meet the needs of this country.” “The trucking industry has stepped up and delivered through […]
Va. new unemployment claims drop 47%
Virginia’s new unemployment claims dropped by 47% last week, the Virginia Employment Commission reported Thursday, following a drop of 50% in the week ending Nov. 27. For the filing week ending Dec. 4, Virginians filed 3,450 initial claims, a decrease of 3,096 from the week before. Continued claims totaled 14,598, an increase of 681 from the […]
Va. had record 328,000 job openings in September
Virginia had 328,000 job openings in September and 123,000 quits, 4,000 fewer quits than the April 2021 peak, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) data released Nov. 19. The September job openings number set a record previously set in July, when there were 320,000 openings. The […]
Va. hotel revenues continue to lag from 2019 levels
Virginia hotel revenues for October were 20% below pre-pandemic levels in October 2019, according to newly released data from STR Inc., a CoStar Group division that provides market data on the U.S. hospitality industry. During the same period, hotel rooms sold decreased by 13% compared with 2019 levels. The average daily rate (ADR) paid for […]
Va. unemployment rate dropped to 3.6% in October
In October, Virginia’s unemployment rate fell to 3.6%, 0.2 points below September’s rate, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Friday. The state’s unemployment rate has declined for 17 months straight. In October 2020, the jobless rate was at 5.3%, 2.5 points higher than last month. The labor force increased by 5,918 to almost 4.26 million, and the number […]
Va. new employment claims rise slightly
Virginia’s new unemployment claims rose by about 19% last week, the Virginia Employment Commission reported Friday. For the filing week ending Nov. 6, Virginians filed 1,290 new claims, an increase of 202 from the week before. Continued claims totaled 24,922, a decrease of 6,642 from the previous week. Compared to the same week last year, […]
Va. new jobless claims decline to almost 1,000
Virginia’s new unemployment claims decreased by about 58% last week, the Virginia Employment Commission reported Thursday. For the filing week ending Oct. 30, Virginians filed 1,088 new claims, a decrease of 1,482 claims from the week before. Continued claims totaled 31,564, a decrease of 13,276 from the previous week. Compared to the same week last […]
Va. new jobless claims rise slightly
Virginia’s new unemployment claims rose by about 30% last week, the Virginia Employment Commission reported Thursday, but remained about 8,000 lower than the number filed two weeks ago. For the filing week ending Oct. 23, Virginians filed 2,570 initial claims, an increase of 603 claims from the week before. Continued claims totaled 44,840, a decrease […]