FAIRLAWN, Va. – The lingering impacts from Helene continue to leave hundreds of people out of work.
Flooding damaged the Radford Army Ammunition Plant, putting it out of commission since the storm. It will at least be a few more days before it’s fully back up and running.
“It’s never happened before. In 75 years of it being here, it’s never happened before,” said Larry Riffey, president of United Steelworkers Local 8-495.
BAE Systems, the plant’s operator, told 10 News that 75 percent of employees are back at the plant this week, leaving around 200 still off the job until at least Friday.
“After the flood, they haven’t been able to get everything up and going yet,” Riffey said. “Most of the maintenance is back, some production is back.”
In the meantime, some of the furloughed workers have told 10 News they are having trouble getting approved for state unemployment insurance. Riffey said union leaders and members have been receiving mixed messages from government agencies.
“They want to know what’s going on, why aren’t they getting their unemployment,” Riffey said. “And it’s hard for me to answer.”
FEMA told 10 News that employees who are eligible for their state’s unemployment insurance are not eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance, which is geared toward workers like farmers, gig workers and contractors.
Tuesday afternoon, in response to questions, the Virginia Employment Commission issued this statement to 10 News:
Individuals whose employment or self-employment has been impacted by Hurricane Helene may be eligible for unemployment benefits and are encouraged to apply. VEC has been actively taking a significant number of claims from workers impacted by the storm from across both large and small employers. Please note that it may take up to 21 days from the date of filing to receive the first payment, following the U.S. Department of Labor’s guidelines. However, the VEC has been issuing payments as soon as they are eligible, including processing payments on the recent state holiday to expedite support.
The VEC would like to remind customers that, in addition to filing their initial claims, they must file weekly claims accurately and remain able and available to work in order to qualify each week for benefits.
For those needing assistance or who have questions about their unemployment claims, VEC representatives will be on-site at the Pulaski Disaster Recovery Center, located at 5581 Fairgrounds Circle in Dublin, VA, from Wednesday, October 16, 2024, through Friday, October 18, 2024, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Individuals who have lost their jobs, are unable to work, or have had their hours reduced due to Hurricane Helene can also apply online through the VEC Claimant Self-Service portal at uidirect.vec.virginia.gov/CSS/CSSLogon.htm which can be found on VEC’s main website at www.vec.virginia.gov. Customers may also apply for benefits by calling the VEC Customer Contact Center at 1-866-832-2363. VEC’s dedicated staff is committed to ensuring that Virginians affected by this disaster receive the assistance they need during this challenging time.
in the meantime, as the plant is the second largest employer in Montgomery County, Riffey said the situation has the potential to impact the economy in Radford and surrounding areas.
“It’s going to affect the heck out of it,” he said. “These people are making $28, $29 an hour and now they don’t have it. Unemployment, $378 a week is not a comparison to what you’re normally making.
BAE Systems told 10 News in a statement that repairs continue on the facility and teams are “working diligently towards a full plant restoration.”