Richmond, VA — Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has announced additional support programs for former employees of Blackjewel LLC, a West Virginia based coal mining company that abruptly declared bankruptcy on July 1. Prior to its closure, the company had approximately 1,700 workers across Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming and Kentucky with over 450 coal miners and other workers in Southwest Virginia. Governor Northam has directed the Virginia Employment Commission to waive the standard week-long waiting period for unemployment benefits for affected employees. Impacted employees of Blackjewel LLC can file for unemployment benefits and access additional support by calling the Virginia Employment Commissions’ customer contact center at (866) 832-2363 or by visiting a local Virginia Career Works Center.