West Virginia Receives Unemployment Insurance Grant

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin says West Virginia will share in an $82.7 million federal grant to fund projects that will improve the state unemployment insurance system.

The U.S. Labor Department grant will be shared with Vermont and Maryland in a consortium that will design a new automated and integrated unemployment compensation system.

The governor's office said the system will include appeals and employer tax contributions elements, in addition to benefits.

The integrated system is scheduled to be deployed in early 2018.

Tomblin said the funding will help West Virginia WorkForce improve its services to the unemployed.

The consortium approach is intended to allow multiple states to more cost-effectively deliver services.