In West Virginia, the governor announced he was ending extra federal pandemic jobless benefits. Soon after, the resort he owns saw an uptick in job applications.
When West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) announced his decision last month to cut federal unemployment benefits for his state’s jobless residents, he pointed to what he said was a plethora of openings for those who needed work.
“West Virginians have access to thousands of jobs right now. We need everybody back to work,” he said on May 14. “We’ve got to have you back to work. America is all about work. That’s what has made this great country.”
Justice didn’t need to look far for examples of companies struggling to hire workers. The storied West Virginia resort he owns, the Greenbrier, has been looking for dozens of new employees in recent weeks and until recently had received far fewer applications than normal. But after Justice announced his decision, that started to change, said Kathy Miller, vice president of human resources at the luxury hotel. Continue reading.