Political Notebook: Gov. Cooper issues executive order to encourage increase in employment
Published 7:06 am Monday, May 24, 2021
Gov. Roy Cooper issued an executive order Friday directing the N.C. Department of Commerce to encourage and help people receiving unemployment benefits transition back into employment.
Under Executive Order 216, all existing claimants of unemployment benefits will be required to fulfill work search requirements beginning June 6. All existing claimants will be required over the next several weeks to register with a jobseeker account on NCWorks.gov.
The order also directs the state Department of Commerce to explore opportunities, consistent with federal law and through the use of certain federal funds, to establish a reemployment incentive program for jobless workers who find and maintain employment.
“Unemployment benefits have provided a critical lifeline for many North Carolinians living on the edge due to the pandemic,” Cooper said. “As our state emerges from the pandemic, we want to help people safely return to work as soon as possible. Reinstating the work search guidelines will help connect claimants with employers, resources and tools to help them return to the workforce.”
The new executive order aims to expand a previous order, EO 200, which reinstated work search requirements for new claimants after March 14. But as North Carolina makes progress on its key COVID-19 metrics, the work search requirements will now apply to everyone currently filing for unemployment benefits.
Under the order, claimants must make contact with at least three different employers each week and keep a record of their work search, as is required by state law. One of the three weekly job contacts can be satisfied by attending an approved reemployment activity offered by a NCWorks Career Center or a partnering agency.
Job seekers can use NCWorks.gov to search and apply for jobs, access labor market information and find opportunities for workforce training. Over the next several weeks, existing claimants will receive notifications about registering for NCWorks.
Since the start of the pandemic, the state estimates more than $11.7 billion in unemployment benefits has been administered across multiple state and federal programs. Approximately 245,000 North Carolinians are currently receiving benefit payments each week.
For work search assistance in North Carolina, jobseekers can contact NCWorks at NCWorks.gov or 1-855-NCWorks. Information about unemployment benefits can be found at des.nc.gov.
Rep. Budd sends letter to Cooper urging full lift of all COVID-19 restrictions
Rep. Ted Budd, a Republican whose 13th Congressional District contains Rowan County, sent a letter to Gov. Roy Cooper last week asking the Democratic governor to lift all remaining COVID-19 mandates and restrictions immediately.
The letter was co-signed by Reps. Dan Bishop, a Republican representing North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District, and Madison Cawthorn, a Republican who represents District 11.
The letter cites the CDC’s recent guidance stating that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks in most settings. He praised the efficacy of vaccines developed through Operation Warp Speed, and said it serves as “a turning point in the pandemic.”
“We were encouraged by your recent decision to lift the mask mandate in many settings. But it did not go far enough,” Budd said. “With all adults eligible to get a vaccine and minimal risk to children, it is time to end North Carolina’s mask mandate in all settings.”
A day after the CDC’s announcement, Cooper lifted the statewide mask mandate for all North Carolinians in most settings, with the exception of schools, hospitals, prisons, nursing homes and public transportation. It was recommended for those who have not yet been vaccinated to continue wearing masks and social distancing, relying on a statewide “honor system.”
Budd said in the letter the CDC’s findings that the rate of reinfection after receiving the vaccine is incredibly rare and doesn’t justify an infringement on personal liberty.
“After 428 days, it is time for ’15 days to slow the spread’ to end,” he stated in the letter. “While it is important to continue the vaccine trend, we must recognize that the era of government mandates dictating our every move in public is over.”
He continued, “Freedom involves personal risk assessments. Now that all high-risk persons have had the opportunity to become fully vaccinated, it is time to let North Carolinians choose for themselves whether or not to wear a mask, whether that be in schools, child care settings or on public transportation.”
Senate Conservatives Fund endorses Budd for U.S. Senate
The Senate Conservatives Fund last week formally endorsed Rep. Ted Budd in his race for the U.S Senate.
SCF is an organization founded by former U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina. In a statement, the organization called for “conservatives to unite behind strong, principled leaders like Ted Budd,” crediting him for being a conservative outsider with “a record of standing up to the liberals in both parties.”
“While there are four Republican candidates, there are only two conservatives and I am honored that, after carefully reviewing the two conservatives, Senate Conservatives Fund has endorsed my campaign to be the next U.S. senator from North Carolina,” Budd said. “Here in ACC Country, we can all appreciate a point guard who’s good at faking right then going left, but that’s not what North Carolinians want in a U.S. senator. Our working families deserve a senator who won’t waver in a fight and I’m glad that SCF recognizes I’m that kind of person.”
About Natalie Anderson
Natalie Anderson covers the city of Salisbury, politics and more for the Salisbury Post. She joined the staff in January 2020 after graduating from Louisiana State University, where she was editor of The Reveille newspaper. Email her at natalie.anderson@salisburypost.com or call her at 704-797-4246.
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