April 14, 2009
Contact: Gordon Hickey
(804) 225-4260
www.governor.virginia.gov
~ Economic Crisis Strike Force working to aid displaced workers and new veterans ~
Governor Timothy M. Kaine today highlighted the Commonwealth’s ongoing efforts to address the impact of the current economic downturn on Virginians. Virginia is continuing to open “Unemployment Express Offices” to serve displaced workers across the Commonwealth, and has formed an Economic Crisis Strike Force to coordinate state-wide response.
“It is our obligation to respond to the ongoing recession and the resulting layoffs with all of the tools we have in government,” Governor Kaine said. “Through the Strike Force, we are coordinating a wide variety of services to Virginians in the area of economic development, social services, unemployment insurance and job search assistance.”
The Economic Crisis Strike Force has been meeting since mid February to respond to the widespread job loss experienced in all regions of the state due to the global economic recession. The Governor has the statutory authority to establish an Economic Crisis Strike Force based on certain conditions such as rapidly rising unemployment, shutdown of a major employer in a region, or other economic crisis situations which will adversely affect the welfare of the citizens of the Commonwealth. Governor Kaine signed the strike force legislation into law in March 2006.
As part of its coordinated efforts to assist job seekers, the Strike Force has been rapidly deploying all assets available to job seekers and employers during these challenging times. The Virginia Employment Commission has opened three Unemployment Express offices in particularly hard hit areas of the state, and will open another three in the coming weeks. The offices are:
March 23- Richmond
4150 Meadowdale Boulevard
Richmond, VA 23234
April 6 – Newport News
Turnberry Crossing Shopping Center
12638 Jefferson Avenue, Suite 21
Newport News, VA 23602
April 13 – Danville/Martinsville
Brosville Business Center
11980 Martinsville Highway, Suite D
Danville, VA 24541
April 20 - Bedford
Westgate Shopping Center
584 Blue Ridge Avenue
Bedford, VA 24523
April 27 - Centreville
Centreville Square 1
14260-L Centreville Square
Centreville, VA 20121
May 4 - Portsmouth
Victory Crossing Shopping Center
4020 Victory Blvd, Suite 5
Portsmouth, VA 23701
The new Unemployment Insurance Express offices expand the agency’s service locations and will alleviate significant waits experienced by some displaced workers as a result of rising demand for services.
With the help of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Strike Force has established work groups to deploy resources strategically to provide immediate help to displaced workers and their families. These areas of concentration are:
· Rapid Response: The Commonwealth is making a concerted effort to reach displaced workers at the time they are separated from employment by offering skill assessment, training, job search assistance and health insurance assistance early in an effort to reduce the duration of unemployment and help workers into more stable careers.
The Virginia Employment Commission and the Virginia Community College System’s network of One Stop Centers will be combining their resources to connect with workers early and often during layoffs. The Rapid Response team will also coordinate Job and Education Fairs to help displaced workers connect with new jobs, training and entrepreneurship opportunities.
· Assessment and Training for Growing Careers: Localities and regions will be asked to determine goals for future job growth and the skills needed for those jobs. Using the resources of Virginia’s One Stop Centers, every displaced worker will be offered skills assessment to determine if he or she could benefit from additional training.
The ARRA provides increased resources under the Workforce Investment Act, Job Services, and Trade Act to prepare displaced workers for new jobs. The Assessment and Training workgroup is charged with coordinating regional task forces in high unemployment areas composed of local elected officials, economic development authorities, public and private schools and universities, planning district commissions, chambers of commerce, One Stop centers, and other interested parties to target job growth areas and to develop training to help displaced workers fill the identified job growth needs. The Strike Force will also help these regional groups apply for economic development funding under the ARRA.
· Health Insurance Coordination: The ARRA will help displaced workers keep their health insurance by providing a 65% subsidy of the cost of health insurance premiums under COBRA. Amendments to the Trade Adjustment Assistance Act provide an 80% subsidy of the cost of COBRA insurance for trade eligible individuals. The Governor has appointed a work group to determine how to make these benefits available to as many displaced workers as possible. The workgroup, which includes the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, representatives of the health insurance industry, the Virginia Employment Commission, Department of Medical Assistance Services, Virginia Poverty Law and the Community College System, is coordinating measures to make insurance more affordable for small businesses and lower-income workers.
· Returning Veterans: The Returning Veterans workgroup will coordinate services to reach veterans while they are still deployed and immediately upon their return to help them receive unemployment benefits and concentrated job search assistance and training. Virginia Department of Veterans Services Commissioner Vincent Burgess is serving as chairman of this group, which includes representatives of the Virginia Employment Commission, the Department of Rehabilitative Services, the Virginia National Guard and veterans’ organizations.
