Partly cloudy skies early followed by scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%..

Partly cloudy skies early followed by scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.

Much has been said in recent months about the continuing challenge that employers are facing when it comes to finding workers to fill open positions.

The problem stems back to the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, when Congress started doling out millions upon millions of dollars in extra unemployment benefits. Soon it made more sense for some individuals to stay at home and not work, as they were collecting more money from the federal government than they would have earned on the job.

The problem was further complicated by the rise of remote working, or those employees who work virtually from the comfort of their own homes. In fact, some young people are only seeking work-from-home remote jobs.

This has been problematic for employers across the country, and right here in the deep south counties, who are still struggling to find workers who are willing to actually work.

Now the worker shortage problem is taking on a whole new level of urgency in West Virginia.

Earlier this month, Republican Gov. Jim Justice declared a state of emergency due to staffing shortages at state correctional facilities.

It seems the state can’t find enough workers to keep prisons properly staffed.

As part of the emergency declaration, Justice said members of the West Virginia National Guard will help “bridge” the state through the emergency period.

Vacancy rates are as high as 60% in some facilities, according to the governor, who also acknowledged that pay is one of the problems. He said the prison staffing problem is most pronounced in the state’s Eastern Panhandle.

A bipartisan deal to address pay differentials was pushed earlier this year during the legislative session, but it did not get through.

The bill would have afforded a $10,000 locality pay adjustment for correctional officers across the state where locality pay is necessary to recruit and retain employees in a competitive manner.

The full House never got the opportunity to vote on the bill, according to Justice.

“I hate like crazy the bill stalled and we didn’t get it through,” Justice said. “Of course, we will continue to work with all stakeholders moving forward to perfect the legislation, get it reintroduced, and, ultimately, get it across the finish line, but we need to do something to address the staffing shortages in our jails right now. These are critical positions and if numbers continue to dip, failure to act could become a safety concern. That’s why I’m taking action and calling this state of emergency now.”

The Department of Corrections has been forced to assign non-uniformed support staff to fill mandatory posts to ensure shift minimums are met. While non-uniformed staff are filling these security posts, their normal duties and responsibilities are delayed or delegated, which leads to delays in programming and services, according to Justice.

This is a serious situation. While a career in corrections may not be for everyone, it should be noted that prison staffing woes are occurring at a time where other employers across the state also are having troubling filling open positions in a variety of other professions and industries.

At the end of the day, those individuals who are still not working need to return to the workforce.

Our nation’s economy has been slowly teetering toward a recession for months now. If economic conditions do not improve, more employers will put a pause on hiring. If an actual recession develops later this year or next, jobs could be lost.

So if you are still sitting on the fence, and are undecided about whether or not to return to work as a productive member of society, here are some words to the wise. Don’t wait too long. Inflation is still fueling an economic downturn. Jobs may not be as abundantly available six months from now as they currently are.

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