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It’s being described as the worst climate for employers in decades.
Just a handful of people have been responding to help wanted ads, local business say, when in the past it’s been dozens.
Then, they either won’t show up for interviews, come late, or quit right away.
“I think the pandemic and the shutdowns destroyed people’s desires to work, said Mike McElwee, an owner in three downtown Bay Shore restaurants. “The added unemployment supplement is giving people even more of an incentive to stay home.”
“I’ve never seen anything like this in 25 years of being in business.”
Struggling to meet growing demand as COVID-19 restrictions lift, Bay Shore’s restaurant committee has put together a hiring drive for May 11.
Nearly two dozen area restaurants are participating in the drive, and plenty of retailers need help, too.
How the day will work couldn’t be any simpler.
All day and night on May 11, would-be workers are invited to march into any restaurant or retailer to fill out an application.
The drive organizers recommend people contact the locations of choice ahead of time — to see the type of positions the businesses are looking to fill.
McElwee says that typically, kitchen help is needed most, but in this climate, it’s been hard to hire servers and bartenders as well.
Photo Credit: Andrew Theodorakis/Yellow House Images
