People who work in the service industry are not yet able to get vaccinated. | Pixabay
People who work in the service industry are not yet able to get vaccinated. | Pixabay
Restaurant owners say unemployment benefit extensions and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) are hurting Illinois restaurants looking to hire.
As mandates and restrictions ease up following the COVID-19 numbers decreasing and vaccination rates increasing, restaurants looking to open back up and hire are having a hard time getting applications in because business owners say collecting unemployment can bring more in financially than going back to work.
“Two weeks ago was our best week yet and by like a lot. So when our patio, our Biergarten does open, there’s going to be quite a demand,” John Clark, the general manager of Rathskeller, said in a WGN report.
Though some small businesses are seeing a decrease in demand for its services, not all places can meet those demands without having the staff available to provide.
“The problem that we are facing now and has caused us to pivot again is staffing. We are just not getting applicants,” Clark said. “At this point, we have zero applications on three to four different media that we’re trying to push out for applications.”
Clark said this is due to the unemployment extension, making people want to continue staying home instead of going back to work.
“I’ve seen other restaurant owners post that they had 12 interviews and only two showed up, out of those 12. I think obviously unemployment and unemployment benefits extension is going to help people stay home during this tough time,” he said. “Unfortunately, it’s hard to compete with that when they are going to make less going to work.”
One of the largest challenges for the service industry in getting applications is restaurant workers are not yet eligible for the vaccine. Due to this, more people feel it is safer staying at home than returning to work.
According to the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES), benefits will be extended until Sept. 4, and will include an additional $300 per week in pay.
The IDES also said that for any individual who has even received $1 in unemployment benefits, they are eligible for the extension and the extra $300 per week.
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