PLYMOUTH – Like most business owners these days, Deb Tanis is caught between a rock and hard place. The owner of Cork + Table Kitchen and Bar on Court Street desperately needs staff to help at her restaurant, but it’s next to impossible to find qualified people – or even a live body for that matter – willing to work.
“I had one person apply for a job as a server who listed previous experience as ‘snow shoveler,’” she said. “I’m willing to train, but …”
Many companies find themselves in the same boat. Most are reporting that locating people for positions has never been more difficult. A combination of concern over the lingering effects of COVID-19 and expanded unemployment benefits seems to be keeping a lot of individuals from reentering the job market.
“Many businesses are saying they couldn’t operate at full capacity even if they wanted to due to lack of employees,” said Amy Naples, executive director of the Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce. “In our area, we’re hearing that a lot from the hospitality, restaurant and service industries. Many restaurants have changed their schedules and will not be open seven days a week. I am pretty sure almost every restaurant in town has a chef position available.”
Why are people reluctant to return to work? Naples is hearing three reasons from local businesses: enhanced federal unemployment benefits, children at home or daycare challenges, and fear of COVID-19.
“The biggest reason by far is unemployment benefits,” she stated.
Tanis has heard the same thing from the few applicants she has talked to. She is greatly understaffed and needs help. However, the people she interviews usually give variations of the same response: “I can make more money on unemployment.”
“Right now, a person gets an additional $300 for each child under the age of 6,” she said. “For mother with three kids, that’s nearly $1,000 a month. Who wouldn’t want a deal like that?”
Massachusetts is starting to take a hard look at what is happening in the employment sector. While unemployment is hovering around 7 percent, legislators are concerned about the slow return to work and the impact that is having on businesses.
“We’ve been talking about this at the state level for a few weeks,” said state Rep. Mathew Muratore, R-Plymouth. “We’re hoping things get back to normal after June 15. That’s when unemployment requirement will return to normal. Out-of-work people can still file for benefits, but they will have to look for a job too.”
The state plans to provide expanded unemployment payments through Sept. 4. Gov. Charlie Baker said last week Massachusetts will continue receiving federal funds to give out-of-work residents a supplemental $300 per week until he is convinced there are enough jobs out there.
Lack of applicants
Plymouth’s second largest private employer is also finding it difficult to meet its staffing needs. Tech-Etch is attempting to fill several positions – from engineers to entry-level jobs – but with little luck. The manufacturer serving the medical, military and aviation industries is struggling to get people to show an interest in these opportunities.
“We’re not even getting people applying,” said Minh Medeiros, the company’s marketing director. “It’s really difficult.”
She pointed out that Tech-Etch is expanding, not trying to replace employees who left the company. Tech-Etch was able to remain at full operations during the pandemic and is hiring now to keep up with demand from its customers.
“We offer great benefits and good wages,” Minh said. “We have many employees here with 20-plus years of experience, so you know it’s a great place to work. We just need people to apply.”
Even Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Plymouth – the town’s largest employer – is not immune to the employment dilemma. The healthcare facility is offering signing bonuses for certain positions and has been actively recruiting at virtual job fairs. BID-P has open jobs at all education levels, including registered nurses, certified nursing assistants, housekeepers and schedulers.
“We have become even more nimble and creative in our approach to recruit and attract the most eligible applicants,” hospital spokesperson Lindsey Diaz-MacInnis said. “We are hosting virtual hiring events, implementing sign-on bonuses for some positions, introducing an employee referral program and striving to be market-competitive in wages and benefits with recruitment and retention of all hospital staff a top priority.”
Kevin Martin, manager of Best Western Plus Cold Spring on Court Street, has noticed an interesting trend this spring: a dearth of people inquiring about jobs at his business, which opened for the season in mid-March.
“One of the most interesting things I am seeing right now is that no one is coming in asking if we are hiring,” he said. “Normally, by this time of year, we have many applications. So far this season, I’ve only had two people apply or ask for an application.”
Vexed by visas
While local workers are tough to find, so are international workers – the seasonal staple of many businesses in the hospitality industry, Martin pointed out. This time of year, many hotels, motels, bed-and-breakfasts and other overnight-stay accommodations rely on staff from other countries to supplement employment rolls. COVID-19 has put a crimp on that.
“J1 workers, who are international students, normally arrive mid-May till the end of June,” he said. “Many have had trouble getting visas as U.S. embassies in their countries were closed or not allowing in-person visits, which are needed to obtain visas, because of the pandemic.”
U.S. Rep William Keating, D-Bourne, acknowledged the situation with international workers was placing added stress on local businesses, complicating an already thorny problem.
“It has been difficult to fill jobs in Southeastern Massachusetts during the busy tourism season for many years prior to the pandemic – this isn’t a new issue,” the congressman said. “This year has been challenging because the foreign workers who come to the region every summer on J-1 and H-2B visas have been delayed due to pandemic-related issues in their home countries.”
Keating pointed out COVID-19 has hit women – who have primary responsibility for childcare – particularly hard. He cited figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which show female workforce participation has dropped to the lowest level since 1988 – a particular problem given that 67 percent of waitstaff and nearly 60 percent of workers in accommodations are women.
“Congress is paying particular attention to this issue,” he said. “I was proud to support the American Rescue Plan in part because of the focus on returning mothers to the workforce by expanding the child tax credit and investing $225 billion in making childcare more accessible and affordable to lower-wage workers. I was also proud to support the $28 billion in grants for restaurants hard hit by the pandemic.”
Legislative relief
Back in Massachusetts, the Legislature is stepping up its game to help businesses. The state Senate approved a proposal last week to relieve employers of unexpected hikes in required contributions to the state unemployment fund and move the payment deadline to July 3.
“We are finally getting the solvency rate assessment controls that are going to ensure that our small businesses are insulated from grossly inflated contribution costs, protecting our local and regional economies in turn,” state Sen. Susan Moran, D-Falmouth, said.
So what can be done to change things around and get people back to work? It will likely take a combination of efforts to make that happen. Time and patience may also be the key ingredients.
Stephen Cole, executive director of the Plymouth Regional Economic Foundation, thinks this is the perfect time to start a business. If a person can’t find the job they want, then they might need to create it.
“Entrepreneurship is a vital job creator,” he said. “Small businesses find a problem and then they work to solve it. Since the pandemic started, we’ve lost 250,000 jobs from the labor pool. New businesses can help to make up the difference. Plymouth is the perfect place to start a new company. The Foundation is here to support them.”
Naples said the Chamber is developing initiatives to help local businesses, including working with higher education institutions to fill the gap with college students.
“That is a temporary fix, but it is going to help,” she said. “It will allow many companies to operate longer hours and more days to recoup lost funds caused by the pandemic.”
She added, “So much work in this area needs to be done and will ultimately be our biggest recovery hurdle.”
Ready to respond
Kevin Martin thinks interdisciplinary training will be an absolute necessity for the foreseeable future. He is making sure his Cold Spring staff – and himself – are prepared to handle just about any eventuality.
“It is even more important that we cross-train staff so the guest still receives the same level of service,” he said. “Some of us might be multitasking as a general rule each day!”
Rep. Keating is hopeful that the situation will begin to improve in time. He thinks steps taken by federal and state governments will make a difference, though he cautions there are other problems affecting employment that still need to be addressed.
“I am optimistic that we will see more jobs filled as these funds hit the community and the governor’s decision to resume the work search requirement to receive unemployment takes effect,” he said. “Unfortunately, absent a rapid expansion of affordable housing in the region, there will continue to be stories of small business owners unable to find the workers they need long after the pandemic is over.”
In the end, local business owners may need to be more flexible in filling their staffing needs. They may need to do things differently, including hiring people from previously unexpected sources.
“I had a diner come up to me the other day and say he wanted to help,” said Tanis, of the Cork + Table. “He has a day job but he knew restaurants were hurting. He said he had no experience but he was willing to work nights and weekends. I said, ‘You’re hired!’”
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