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State program would incentivize new workers with up to $1,000
To combat Virginia’s tight labor market, the state plans to invest $3 million in a program to provide new employees of qualifying small businesses with up to $1,000 to support their transition back into the workforce, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Friday. The Virginia Return to Earn grant program will match up to $500 from eligible […]
Va. jobless claims up 173% from last week
For the April 13-17 filing week, 13,751 Virginians submitted initial unemployment claims, a 173% increase from the previous week, but an 83% decrease from this time a year ago when jobless claims were near a peak during the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week’s new claims rose by 8,717 compared to those from the week ending April 10, […]
Central Va. pharma hub strategic plan released
On Tuesday, the Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering announced its strategy to turn Central Virginia into an advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing, research and development hub. The strategic plan aims to foster business and job growth in the Richmond-Petersburg area while also expanding access to medicines. The creation of the plan was funded by a $100,000 […]
Va. unemployment stayed steady in March
Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained above 5% in March, dropping just 0.1 percentage points below February’s jobless rate. March’s 5.1% unemployment rate was 2.5 percentage points above March 2020’s rate. Virginia contends to trend lower than the nation, however. The U.S. unemployment rate for March was 6%. “Virginia’s unemployment rate is stead[...]
Va. new unemployment claims fall 466% from previous week
About 5,000 Virginians filed initial unemployment claims for the week ending April 10, a 95% decrease from this time a year ago when jobless claims were near their peak during the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week’s 5,034 new claims were 466% lower than the previous week’s, when 28,526 people filed, according to the Virginia Employment Commission’s […]
Fed says Fifth District economy shows moderate growth
The economy has grown “moderately” in recent weeks, with strong production increases, employment rising and consumer spending up in the Federal Reserve’s Fifth District, which includes Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia and Maryland, according to the latest edition of the Fed’s Beige Book, released Wednesday. The Beige Book, which is published eight times [&hel[...]
Virginia expands Medicaid access for legal immigrants
RICHMOND, Va. — Ni Kin became a permanent resident in 2002 at 70 years old, but she was unable to work after moving from Myanmar to Virginia due to mobility problems. Kin required more medical attention related to her condition as she aged, but was unable to see a doctor because she didn’t have insurance, […]
Kings Dominion sets minimum wage at $13 for seasonal workers
Kings Dominion, the Doswell amusement park, has set its minimum wage for seasonal employees at $13 per hour, it announced Thursday. Previously, the base wage was $9.25. The park, owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Co., expects to hire 2,100 seasonal workers before reopening May 22, and it also is hiring 80 new full-time positions with […]
Labor market recovery slowed during early February
Labor market recovery slowed during the week of Feb. 7 through Feb. 13, according to Virginia Commonwealth University and Arizona State University economists. Between early January and early February, employment held constant at 68.6%, which is 5.2% lower than it was in February 2020, according to the Real-Time Population Survey conducted by Virginia Commonwealth University […]
Newport News Shipbuilding lays off 314 employees
Newport News Shipbuilding has laid off 314 salaried employees and demoted 119 managers in its first workforce reduction since the shipyard laid off 1,218 employees in 2015, according to a letter sent to employees by the company’s president, Jennifer Boykin. “Today is a tough day as we say goodbye to 314 fellow shipbuilders as part […]
Delegate celebrates passage of limited paid leave bill
RICHMOND,Va. — After four years and multiple bills, Del. Elizabeth Guzmán, D-Woodbridge, is on the cusp of being able to secure paid leave for some Virginia workers. “It feels really good,” Guzmán said. “I think about the amount of people who are going to get this benefit and how they will have peace of mind […]
Va. saw nearly 20% drop in initial jobless claims last week
Initial jobless claims filed last week fell 19.8% from the previous week, according to figures released Thursday by the Virginia Employment Commission but continued claims slightly increased. During the week ending Feb. 20, 11,944 Virginians filed initial unemployment claims, compared to 14,901 from the week prior. Last week, 64,575 Virginians remained unemployed; that represents 42,082 [&hellip[...]
