WINSTON PLYWOOD ISSUES STATEMENT REGARDING STATUS OF OPERATIONS
Business Remains Open; Will Institute Temporary Furlough for Portion of Workforce Due to Coronavirus Impact
From press and staff reports
Winston Plywood & Veneer issued the following statement Friday, April 3 regarding the current status of its plywood manufacturing operations in Louisville:
“The rapid spread of COVID-19 has had a profound impact on families and businesses in our state and across the country. Several companies have been ordered to shut down completely while others have had to temporarily curtail operations due to decreasing customer demand.
Unfortunately, the impact of this pandemic on our industry has been severe. Over the past month, demand for plywood and other wood products has dropped precipitously and we are feeling this impact just like our fellow forest products companies across the country. As a result, we are instituting a temporary furlough program for a significant portion of our workforce, which will allow us to remain open and operating at levels consistent with the current market demand.
During this period, we will remain vigilant to ensure a safe workplace, including our enhanced cleaning and disinfecting protocols each day. All team members have been reminded to do their part by following CDC guidelines to protect themselves and others at home and at work.
This is an incredibly difficult time for our community. We intend to do everything in our power to preserve the incredible business our team has built and return to where we were before this crisis began.”
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New Enhanced Unemployment Insurance Benefits Can Help You and Your Family
#Enhanced Unemployment Payment
#Last week over 3 million Americans filed for unemployment assistance. The CARES Act includes a robust expansion in unemployment benefits that, in the near term, will enable more jobless workers to receive benefits and provide benefits that are more robust. This is critical, given both the sharp rise in unemployment we are already seeing and the underlying weakness in the basic Unemployment Insurance system.
#How does unemployment insurance work in Mississippi?
#Unemployment insurance programs are administered in each state. As a result, eligibility rules and benefits differ by state. Normally, the highest benefit a Mississippi jobless worker could receive is $235 for 20 weeks (the lowest benefits in the nation). In fact, many jobless Mississippians failed to qualify for benefits because of our state's stringent requirements. Many Mississippi applicants did not qualify because he or she lacked sufficient recent work history or left their job for a reason not covered by Mississippi's program.
#How does the CARES Act expand benefits to Mississippians?
#The Act creates new a Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program that provides federally funded unemployment benefits to many Mississippi workers that don't usually qualify for our state's regular unemployment assistance. NOTE: This program will still be administered through the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. The PUA program will extend benefits to workers lacking an extensive work history or looking for part-time work as well as those who have exhausted their regular UI benefits. It also extends coverage to contract or self-employed workers.
#If you qualify for regular unemployment insurance in Mississippi, you will ALSO receive the temporary PUA benefits under the new pandemic program.
#The new PUA benefit will provide an additional $600 per week. It's federally funded through July 31. Congress will have to extend this program in July. Workers can receive up to 39 weeks of PUA benefits. This program is only in effect through December 31.
#How does the CARES Act help Mississippians impacted by COVID-19?
#Many Mississippians are unable to go to work because they or a family member are ill. Even more people are unable to work because of the social distancing or quarantine rules implement by state or local governments. The PUA benefits are available to most of these workers. Individuals may qualify for the PUA, $600 a week, program if:
#You or a family member has COVID-19.
#You are providing care for a family member with COVID-19 or for a child whose school is closed.
#You can't get to work because of a quarantine or self-quarantine.
#You were scheduled to start work but your job was canceled or you are unable to reach the job due to COVID-19.
#Your place of employment is closed or you have to quit your job due to COVID-19.
#You are the main breadwinner for your household because your spouse died as a direct result of COVID-19.
#How do Mississippians file a claim for unemployment benefits?
#Applications for both regular and PUA unemployment benefits are filed with the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.
#Applications can be submitted online at accessms.mdes.ms.gov. or by calling 888-844-3577. The call center hours are 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. seven days a week.
#Many Mississippians are having trouble utilizing the online application and reaching a person at the call center. You can also call WIN job centers in your area by phone or email. Due to COVID-19, the WIN center lobbies are closed but you should be able to reach a staffer by phone or email.
#WIN Job Center Locations
#Amory Job Center
#AmoryJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#662-256-2618
#Attala Job Center
#louisvillejobcenter@mdes.ms.gov
#662-289-2535
#Batesville Job Center
#BatesvilleJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#662-563-7318
#Brookhaven Job Center
#BrookhavenJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#601- 833- 3511
#Calhoun Job Center
#GrenadaJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#662-412-3170
#Carthage Job Center
#CarthageJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#601-267-9282
#Clarksdale Job Center
#ClarksdaleJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#662-624-9001
#Cleveland Job Center
#ClevelandJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#662-843-2704
#Columbia Job Center
#ColumbiaJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#601-736-2628
#Corinth Job Center
#corinthjobcenter@mdes.ms.gov.
#662-696-2336
#DeSoto County Job Center
#DeSotocountyjobcenter@mdes.ms.gov
#662-280-6218
#Forest Job Center
#ForestJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#601-469-2851
#Greenville Job Center
#GreenvilleJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#662-332-8101
#Greenwood Job Center
#GreenwoodJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#662-459-4600
#Grenada Job Center
#GrenadaJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#662-226-2911
#Gulfport Job Center
#GulfportJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#228-897-6900
#Hancock Job Center
#hancockcountyjobcenter@mdes.ms.gov
#228-466-5425
#Hattiesburg Job Center
#HattiesburgJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#601- 584 -1202
#Houston Job Center
#tupelojobcenter@mdes.ms.gov
#662- 407-1219
#Indianola Job Center
#IndianolaJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#662- 887-2502
#Iuka Job Center
#cjobcenter@mdes.ms.gov
#662-423-9231
#Jackson Job Center
#JacksonJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#601-321-7931
#Laurel Job Center
#LaurelJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#601-399-4000
#Lexington Job Center
#LexingtonJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#662-834-2426
#Louisville Job Center
#louisvillejobcenter@mdes.ms.gov
#662-773-5051
#Madison County Job Center
#madisoncountyjobcenter@mdes.ms.gov
#601-859-7609
#Marshall Job Center
#DeSotocountyjobcenter@mdes.ms.gov
#662-838-3805
#Mayhew Job Center
#AmoryJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#662-243 -1751
#McComb Job Center
#McCombJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#601-684-4421
#Meridian Job Center
#MeridianJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#601-553-9511
#Natchez Job Center
#NatchezJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#601-442-0243
#New Albany Job Center
#tupelojobcenter@mdes.ms.gov
#662- 407-1226
#Oxford Job Center
#GrenadaJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#662-236-7201
#Pascagoula Job Center
#PascagoulaJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#228-762-4713
#Pearl Job Center
#PearlJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#601-321-5441
#Picayune Job Center
#PicayuneJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#601-798-3472
#Pontotoc Job Center
#tupelojobcenter@mdes.ms.gov
#662- 407-1226
#Tate Job Center
#DeSotocountyjobcenter@mdes.ms.gov
#662-562-3351
#Tupelo Job Center
#tupelojobcenter@mdes.ms.gov
#662-842-4371
#Vicksburg Job Center
#VicksburgJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#601- 619 -2841
#West Point Job Center
#AmoryJobCenter@mdes.ms.gov
#662-243-2647
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