Fed Fifth District economy shrinks slightly
The economy in the Federal Reserve‘s Fifth District (a multistate region including Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia and Maryland) has contracted slightly since March, according to the latest edition of the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book, released Wednesday. Published eight times per year, the Beige Book is based on anecdotal information about economic conditions g[...]
Va. labor market stayed strong in February
Virginia’s labor market remained strong in February, although growth is slowing, according to employment data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. Virginia had a net gain of 3,200 jobs in February. The Virginia state government employment was previously 12,000 jobs below the February 2020 level, but the state government nearly halved that deficit last […]
Fed’s Fifth District economy expands slightly
The economy in the Federal Reserve‘s Fifth District (a multistate region including Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia and Maryland) has expanded slightly since October, according to the latest edition of the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book, released Wednesday. Published eight times per year, the Beige Book is based on anecdotal information about economic conditions g[...]
Branch builds career pipeline for girls
Women made up about 11% of the construction workforce in 2021, but that doesn’t mean they were all on site wearing a hard hat. That percentage includes women in office and administrative roles, positions more traditionally filled by females, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. And so, many recruiters see women as an […]
Va. CEOs say labor shortages, inflation hurting business
Labor shortages and inflation are negatively impacting Virginia businesses, and expectations for sales, employment and capital spending are less positive than during the previous two quarters, according to the third quarter CEO Economic Outlook Survey by the University of Richmond’s Robins School of Business and the Virginia Council of CEOs (VACEOs). More than 80% of […]
Richmond Fed: Va. gained 8,000 jobs in Sept.
Virginia employers added 8,000 net jobs in September, marking the first month in which total employment has exceeded pre-pandemic levels, representatives from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond said Friday. While that’s good news, job recovery continues to be uneven across sectors, with employment in the transportation and warehousing sector exceeding pre-pandemic levels by 10.5% […[...]
Kings Dominion to remain open year-round
Kings Dominion will expand to year-round operations beginning in January, the Doswell theme park announced Tuesday. The park will now be open an additional nine weekends, or 18 more days, in January, February and early March. Historically, Kings Dominion opens for weekends in the spring and starts daily operations around Memorial Day, continuing through Labor […]
Va. layoffs and discharges down in June
Virginia companies put the brakes on layoffs in June, even as workers continued to seek new opportunities, refueling the Great Resignation. Virginia had 28,000 layoffs and discharges in June, a decrease of 13,000 from May, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) data released last week. That marked […]
Va. CEOs expect increased sales despite shortages
About 70% of CEOs expect sales to increase in the next six months, despite supply chain and labor shortages, according to the first quarter CEO Economic Outlook survey conducted by the University of Richmond’s Robins School of Business and the Virginia Council of CEOs (VACEOs). Ninety percent of CEOs reported a labor shortage impacting their […]
VEC reduces backlog by 89%
The Virginia Employment Commission has decreased its backlog by nearly 89%, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Monday. The VEC reduced the backlog of employment separation reports from 246,273 to 27,728 and unpaid pending claims from 24,887 to 15,846 claims. “Virginians deserve an unemployment insurance system that is responsive, efficient and customer focused,” Youngkin said in a […]
GOP lawmakers push to protect workers who decline COVID vaccines
RICHMOND, Va. – Lawmakers narrowly passed a bill this month that would allow people fired for refusing a COVID-19 vaccine to receive unemployment benefits if no other misconduct took place. The measure advanced from the House of Delegates on a 51-48 party line vote and was assigned to a Senate committee on Feb. 10. The […]
New Va. jobless claims inch up
Virginia’s new unemployment claims rose just slightly for the week ending Jan. 29, the Virginia Unemployment Commission reported Thursday. Virginians filed 2,157 claims for the last week of January, an increase of 217 initial claims from the previous week. Continued claims totaled 7,439, a decrease of 104 claims from the previous week and 89% lower […]