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Amid reports of economic distress in Texas due to the coronavirus crisis, the Texas Workforce Commission is encouraging business owners to enroll in the Shared Work program as an alternate option to layoffs.
TWC is joining employment agencies in the move to keep people working. All of the agencies, such as the Athens East Texas Workforce Solutions, are currently closed to the public. However, the agencies are working behind the scenes to keep as many workers on the job as possible.
Lindsey Vanderbilt, who is the East Texas Council of Governments' director of communications, says even though the offices are closed to the public, they are keeping many workers employed.
"We made some changes and canceled quite a few events, but we're still available as employers try to work through this crisis," Vanderbilt says.
According to Vanderbilt, information for job seekers has been posted outside of the Athens office on Murchison Street. Vanderbilt said job seekers can also find most of that material online.
Workforce Solutions East Texas (WSET) is one of 28 similar Texas agencies. According to reports, WSET has locations in Henderson, Van Zandt, Rains, Wood, Upshur, Camp, Marion, Harrison, Panola, Gregg, Rusk, Cherokee, Anderson, and Smith counties.
Texas Comptroller Glen Heger said recently that the unemployment rate in Texas is projected to double as the coronavirus spreads. However, he also says that projections of the unemployment rate will be in the "lower double digits."
“It’s up to probably 9%,” Hegar said, speaking on air to the Texas Standard. “And I have no doubt that people are going to start forecasting it’s going to be slightly in the low double-digits.”
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