RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Employment Commission says that jobless workers collecting unemployment compensation will soon have to look for jobs again to receive benefits.
While the weekly job search is a requirement of state and federal law, it was temporarily suspended during the pandemic.
Recommended Videos
The commission announced Tuesday that those receiving benefits will be notified soon of reinstatement of the requirement to apply for two jobs each week.
It also applies to people who get Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.
People will be required to report information about their job searches to the state each week.
VEC plans to begin notifying customers in May with additional details regarding these changes.
The commission said the requirement is coming back as demand for workers rises and the vaccine becomes more widely available.
“Customers are normally required to actively look for work while collecting unemployment benefits,” said Commissioner Ellen Marie Hess. “With increased vaccination access, first in the nation workplace safety regulations, and a robust demand for workers from businesses, Virginia will resume collecting and reviewing work search activity of customers in the near future.”