CLARKSBURG, W.Va. – A recent study from WalletHub has placed West Virginia as the 6th worst state for employers who are hiring. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses are struggling to keep the employees they already have as part of the “Great Resignation.” Now, it is more difficult to hire new workers. According to the report, the labor force participation rate has even experienced “the slowest recovery of any recession since World War II.”
To establish their rankings, WalletHub compared the 50 states and D.C. based on two weighted metrics, the “rate of job openings for the latest month and for the last 12 months.” Ranking the states from those that struggle the most with hiring to those that struggle the least.
- Job Openings Rate (Latest Month): Double Weight (~66.67 Points)
- Job Openings Rate (Last 12 Months): Full Weight (~33.33 Points)
States Where Employers Are Struggling the Most in Hiring
| Rank | State | Job Openings Rate (Latest Month) | Job Openings Rate (Last 12 Months) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | 8.40% | 9.27% |
| 2 | Kentucky | 8.70% | 7.88% |
| 3 | Georgia | 8.40% | 8.02% |
| 4 | Montana | 8.30% | 7.95% |
| 5 | Iowa | 8.70% | 6.83% |
| 6 | West Virginia | 8.40% | 7.53% |
| 7 | South Carolina | 8.30% | 7.66% |
| 8 | Illinois | 8.40% | 6.85% |
| 9 | Minnesota | 8.30% | 7.02% |
| 10 | Vermont | 8.00% | 7.59% |
States Where Employers Are Struggling the Least in Hiring
| Rank | State | Job Openings Rate (Latest Month) | Job Openings Rate (Last 12 Months) |
| 45 | Utah | 6.60% | 6.67% |
| 46 | Washington | 6.80% | 6.06% |
| 47 | Pennsylvania | 6.30% | 6.99% |
| 48 | New Jersey | 6.10% | 6.48% |
| 49 | Connecticut | 6.20% | 6.0% |
| 50 | District of Columbia | 6.30% | 5.62% |
| 51 | New York | 5.70% | 5.89% |
