To the Editor:
I read your article about Dunkin Donuts and other restaurants having to trim hours and close dining rooms due to the government offering extended benefits due to COVID-19 as the reason why this is happening. I would like to make an observation of a different opinion, I too realize that there is a segment of the population that will take advantage of the government’s benefits, but I don’t think that’s the only issue here.
This worker shortage was decades in the making as family sizes shrunk, education increased and retailers continued to build out of control while balking at raising wages and unwilling to offer full-time employment to skirt paying benefits. The “perfect storm” otherwise known as COVID-19 exposed a lot business segments, especially the hospitality industry that had to shutter during the year. Many of those folks found other employment and are not returning
COVID-19 also brought to the forefront jobs like Doordash, Uber, Uber eats etc., where people could choose how much and when they wanted to work, something traditional brick and mortar say they offer but really didn’t. Jobs with Amazon, Walmart delivery etc. are plentiful and often pay more than the hospitality industry. Let’s face it, workers are smarter and are choosing how they want to make a living that accepting what’s out there because some franchisee decided to build a location where they did. Lastly, I’m in total belief that if the state removed every person from unemployment benefits, we’d still have a worker shortage.
Jay Williams
Ocala
