A row of signs advertising jobs are posted in front of a Burger King restaurant, Thursday, May 21, 2020, in Harmony, Pa. The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits in the two months since the coronavirus took hold in the U.S. has swelled to nearly 39 million, the government reported Thursday, even as states from coast to coast gradually reopen their economies and let people go back to work.
Keith Srakocic / AP Photo
Keith Srakocic / AP Photo
A row of signs advertising jobs are posted in front of a Burger King restaurant, Thursday, May 21, 2020, in Harmony, Pa. The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits in the two months since the coronavirus took hold in the U.S. has swelled to nearly 39 million, the government reported Thursday, even as states from coast to coast gradually reopen their economies and let people go back to work.
Airdate: Tuesday, May 25, 2021
There are currently more job openings in the U.S. right now than before the pandemic hit in March 2020. But with fewer people in the labor force, businesses are struggling to attract workers.
There are different theories as to why this problem exists, and persists. Fear of the virus has kept some people at home or avoiding jobs in the service sector where it is more likely they could come into contact with infected persons. A lack of childcare is another reason cited, particularly relevant while some schools still in virtual learning mode.
The reason for the hiring disconnect that gets the most attention is that many people are receiving more in unemployment benefits than they would earn in the jobs that are available.
Joining Smart Talk Tuesday to discuss how businesses can navigate through this hiring challenge are Jon Anderson, SHRM-CP, Human Resources Director, Knoebels Amusement Resort near Elysburg, Pa. and Greg Moreland, State Director in Pennsylvania, with the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).
Attention to alcoholism has waned during the pandemic, but the problem has not gone away.
Unfortunately, the stress of the past year has not been easy for people battling alcoholism. Karie Batzler is a Behavioral Health Director with Capital BlueCross and she appears on Smart Talk Tuesday to highlight how the pandemic has fueled alcohol abuse.
For more on public health issues plus a deeper look at the changing tide of healthcare–check out WITF’s Transforming Health. Online at TransformingHealth.org, a partnership of WITF, WellSpan Health and Capital Blue Cross.
