WASHINGTON D.C. – In a House Ways and Means Committee virtual roundtable on unemployment insurance, Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) invited fellow West Virginian and small business owner, Patrick Pelley, to discuss the challenges he faces as an employer competing with federal unemployment benefits to maintain a workforce amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Pelley, who owns and manages Books and Brews, a local restaurant-bookstore in Charleston, has had to limit business output due to his inability to fill jobs.
During the discussion, Congresswoman Miller spoke against supplemental unemployment benefits, which hinder Main Street businesses like Books and Brews from being competitive employers because they oftentimes cannot pay workers more than what unemployment insurance offers. She instead supports Congress directing resources to back-to-work bonuses and other incentives to get people back in the workforce in order to help our economy recover from this public health emergency.
Click here to watch Congresswoman Miller's introduction of Mr. Pelley or read her remarks as prepared below:
Thank you, Ranking Member Walorski, for the opportunity to talk about the impact of the continued $300 per week enhanced Unemployment Insurance benefit on the labor force in West Virginia. It's my great pleasure to highlight the unique workforce culture in my state and introduce my fellow West Virginian, Mr. Patrick Pelley, owner of Books and Brews in Charleston. Known for their award winning pepperoni rolls!
First, Mr. Pelley, thank you so much for participating today. I am pleased to have you here to speak on behalf of employers across West Virginia.
Mr. Pelley runs Books and Brews restaurant with his wife Clare. He has multiple responsibilities as owner and operator, dishwasher, cook, busboy, server, and human resources. A West Virginia native and WVU grad, Mr. Pelley was previously in the mining business as a Mining Engineer and Vice President of Safety for a mining company.
I am glad Mr. Pelley is here because his family's story illuminates that economic recovery is different across the United States, whether you are in an urban area like New York or a rural area like West Virginia. Throughout my time representing West Virginia, I have witnessed the ups and downs of our economy. I have seen businesses thrive and I have seen them fail. The West Virginia work life culture is truly unique. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the West Virginian spirit as we are working hard to reopen our economy.
West Virginia employers simply cannot afford to compete with the Federal government for workers. The Democrats extended unemployment provision has and will continue to be detrimental to businesses in West Virginia by disincentivizing workers from returning to work.
Work must be a more attractive option than staying on the sidelines.
With that, I would like to turn now to Mr. Pelley to share his story, which reflects so much of what I've heard from dozens of other employers.
Thank you.
Click here to watch Congresswoman Miller's questioning of Mr. Pelley or read her remarks as prepared below:
Mr. Pelley, as you know, unemployment rules can be confusing and are constantly changing. As an employer, it must have been a challenge to keep up with the changes.
Can you tell me a little more about how the changes in regulations have impacted your day to day?
What about difficult conversations with your employees? When we had the $600 a week supplement, did your workers stop showing up?
Do you have any experience with unemployment insurance fraud?
Original source can be found here.
