CHARLESTON, W.Va. — More than 8,000 state residents receiving unemployment benefits under a pandemic-related program are in their last week of receiving those benefits.

Gov. Jim Justice announced last month that the additional $300 weekly benefit would end on June 19. WorkForce West Virginia acting Commissioner Scott Adkins said Tuesday independent contractors, self-employed residents and those who have been receiving extended weeks of pandemic unemployment benefits will all be coming off the rolls. Those on regular unemployment will go back to receiving regular weekly benefits.
Adkins said he hopes many of those residents going off unemployment will fill jobs that are available.
“There are jobs. You can drive around anywhere and see ‘Help Wanted’ signs out. They may not be the ideal jobs but if you think about it, pre-pandemic, those jobs were filled, now we have the pandemic and those jobs aren’t filled. So something happened that we can’t get people back to work and I think unemployment is part of it when you’re paying that extra benefit it creates a disincentive to return to work,” Adkins said.
Adkins said that’s true for everyone.
“Sometimes it’s a financial decision that they can support their family better by not working–so it becomes a disincentive in that way as well,” Adkins said.
The additional benefit began months ago at $600 a week and then was reduced to $300 weekly.
Adkins said those due to go off unemployment this week should still file their weekly certification this Sunday, June 20, in order to get paid for the final week of benefits.
“You certify the week in arrears and you should get paid Monday or Tuesday of next week,” Adkins said.
The state could have received the federal money for the additional $300 weekly benefit until September had Gov. Justice not decided to end it.

West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy Senior Policy Analyst Sean O’Leary previously told MetroNews eliminating the $300 could slow economic recovery.
“We still have in West Virginia and nationwide more unemployed workers than job openings and if you cut that off you’re cutting off that income because there’s not jobs for them. We hear that there are but the data is telling they’re not there. If you cut that off then their spending is going to go down,” O’Leary said.
Current unemployment
Gov. Justice announced Tuesday the state’s unemployment rate fell to 5.5% in May which is below the national average. He said 2,300 residents who were receiving benefits went to work. He said there remain thousands more without a job.

“We still have 43,600 people in West Virginia that are still unemployed,” Justice said. “We want to continue to whittle on that number and continue to see unemployment dropping.”
In response to a reporter’s question during Tuesday’s briefing, Justice didn’t indicate there had been any significant movement on his original plan to work with employers to provide hiring bonuses as an incentive to those who have been receiving unemployment. Justice said he’s still working on the plan but it won’t include anything coming from employers.
“We do have some new (federal) funds and we’re working with the legislature to see if we access those and maybe take a little bump and be able to get rid of some this unemployment in the state,” he said.
Unemployment Trust Fund
The state’s Unemployment Trust Fund continues to operate at a deficit. Adkins said a federal no-interest loan has provided the state with $185 million. He said the state plans to pay the money back once interest starts to be applied Oct. 1. Justice has previously announced CARES Act funding has been set aside for the loan debt.
Adkins said additional federal money will be used to refill the trust fund. He said Justice has set aside about $200 million, which is similar to the trust fund balance before the pandemic hit.
Turning a corner
Adkins said he’s hopeful the elimination of the additional weekly benefits resulting in thousands coming off of unemployment by next week will have a positive impact.
“We’re hoping those folks transitioning off of unemployment will start to be a little more aggressive in their job search,” he said.
COVID-19 vaccinations may also increase as a result, Adkins said.
“I think once they have to return to work that’s going to encourage folks to get vaccinated as well so they will feel safer at work,” Adkins said.