CHARLESTON – West Virginia’s labor force participation rate peaked at 55 percent following an extreme drop following the COVID-19 pandemic, but a steady drop in both labor force participation and increases in unemployment caused the leader of the state’s business community to raise alarms.

In a press release Monday, West Virginia Chamber of Commerce President Steve Roberts cited the latest employment and hiring numbers released last week by WorkForce West Virginia showing a decrease in civilian workforce numbers.

“These numbers are troubling,” Roberts said. “We’re seeing consistent signs of economic softening across several core industries. When the workforce is shrinking and job losses are sustained over time, we must treat it as a warning sign, and we must respond with urgency.”

Accor

See Full Page