JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As the economy recovers from the coronavirus pandemic and states reopen, many businesses across the country are struggling to fill job openings.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were a record 8.1 million job openings in March.
In Jacksonville, business has been busy at The Bearded Pig BBQ.
“We are certainly not complaining at all about a lack of business,” said Chad Munsey, co-owner of The Bearded Pig BBQ.
But Munsey said the hiring process is not quite as active.
“The craziest work hiring environment I’ve seen in 25 years in this business,” Munsey said.
Munsey said they are receiving very few applications and some interviewees aren’t even showing up.
St. Marys Seafood & More told News4Jax it is also in need of workers.
According to CareerSource Northeast Florida, businesses in several different industries are looking for people to fill positions, ranging from health care to retail and hospitality.
“Just the last couple of months, we have had businesses reach out to us to fill over 3,000 jobs per month, which is higher than the job openings we were seeing even before the pandemic,” said Rebecca Livingston, with CareerSource Northeast Florida, said Sunday on “The Morning Show.”
Livingston said it’s unclear why jobs aren’t being filled.
“That’s the million-dollar question honestly. We are hoping that with the vaccines that people are going to feel more comfortable to go back to work,” Livingston said.
But some restaurant owners, including Munsey, told News4Jax they believe unemployment benefits are to blame.
Starting next month, Florida will reinstate the job search requirement for those getting unemployment assistance.
If you are looking for a job, CareerSource Northeast Florida has several resources available.