The state of Vermont is preparing to restore the work-search requirement for most people who are receiving unemployment benefits, the state’s labor commissioner said Tuesday.
The work search requirement was suspended last year in order to ensure the safety of Vermonters, Labor Commissioner Michael Harrington said during Gov. Phil Scott’s twice-weekly virus briefing.
“Vermont is moving forward to more normalcy because our health officials say it is safe to do so,” Harrington said. “That means more opportunities for Vermonters to return to work or seek new opportunities safely. We know employers are actively seeking people to fill open jobs.”
The most recent statistics show that about 2.9% of the Vermont workforce is unemployed and many Vermont employers say their businesses are hobbled by a shortage of workers.
“Claimants are obligated to accept offers of suitable work and refusing an offer of suitable work may result in the loss of benefits,” Harrington said.
Scott said that over the last decade the state has been grappling with a growing workforce shortage and he didn’t think the work-search requirement would end that challenge.
“I see this as being a part of the solution,” Scott said. “We do have opportunities in Vermont. We need to get back to normal, and this will, again, just assist people in getting out there to see what’s available.”
A valid work search consists of three searches a week, which must be reported to the state Department of Labor. Because of COVID-19, people will be able to seek work over the phone or via email, and interviews can also be done by phone, Harrington said.
People who have a “COVID-qualifying circumstance” will not be required seek work. Some of the qualifying events include people who have COVID-19, are under quarantine or who are caring for someone with the disease.
People who are self-employed, independent contractors or sole proprietors do not have to look for work, Harrington said.
Harrington said between 20,000 and 22,000 people in Vermont are collecting regular unemployment insurance and another 10,000 are collecting benefits under the federal pandemic unemployment assistant program, which applies to people not covered by the regular program, such as self-employed individuals.
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CASE TRENDS
Mike Pieciak, the commissioner of the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation, has been following the COVID-19 trends for the state, and said there was “plenty of good news” this week for the state.
That includes nine straight days with case numbers below 100, the first time that has happened since November. Cases are down in 13 of Vermont’s 14 counties.
Over the last week, Vermont has had the second lowest number of COVID-19 fatalities per capita in the country, and Vermonters are continuing to get vaccinated against the disease, he said.
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NUMBERS
On Tuesday, the Vermont Department of Health reported 59 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19, bringing the statewide total since the pandemic began to almost 22,700.
There were 19 people hospitalized with COVID-19, including five in intensive care.
One additional death was reported, bringing the statewide total since the start of the pandemic to 245.
The Associated Press is using data collected by Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering to measure outbreak caseloads and deaths across the United States.
The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Vermont did not increase over the past two weeks, going from 146.29 new cases per day on April 11 to 72.14 new cases per day on April 25.
The seven-day rolling average of daily deaths in Vermont did not increase over the past two weeks, going from 0.57 deaths per day on April 11 to 0.29 deaths per day on April 25.
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