Governor Jim Justice announced that West Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 3.7% for March 2022, breaking the all-time record for the lowest unemployment rate recorded in state history for the 6th consecutive month.
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“West Virginia has been around for a long time – over 158 years. To set an all-time state record in any category one time is an achievement worth celebrating. But to break the all-time state record not once, not twice, not three times, not four times, not five times, BUT SIX TIMES is unheard of,” Gov. Justice said.
“At this point, even the strongest doubters who refused to believe in West Virginia have got to see the goodness going on in our state,” Governor Justice continued.
“You can’t even say that this record is simply the result of us bouncing back from the pandemic, because our unemployment rate is more than one full percentage point below our best mark of 2019. This isn’t a fluke. This isn’t a one-off. This is the result of a lot of great work by a lot of great people to provide life-changing jobs to more and more West Virginians every day.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: this is literally the best time in state history to get a job in West Virginia!”
The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has now decreased for 23 straight months.
The number of unemployed state residents decreased by 1,700 in March, while total employment grew by 2,100 over the month.
Many West Virginians have gotten a new job because of Gov. Justice’s Job Jumpstart Program (JJP), which provides a one-time, $1,500 payment to eligible West Virginians who get a new job and remain employed for at least eight weeks.
After inheriting a $500 million budget deficit, Governor Justice has led the state to a string of consistent budget surpluses by using his lifelong experience as a businessman to make West Virginia a more business-friendly state and by standing behind the energy industry. ■
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