Ideally, Redner’s Warehouse Market would operate with around 100 employees. But assistant store manager Jim Lust said the grocery on Greentree Drive in Dover currently has a workforce of about 80. Where the business would typically interview eight to 10 job candidates weekly pre-pandemic, two or three are more typical now. At Redner’s, after a conditional hire, the candidate must still pass a company test to officially join the workforce. The limited staff has put added stress on current employees, who “are working harder and putting in more hours,” he said. Mix in the challenge of enforcing mask mandates throughout the pandemic, and Mr. Lust said employee “morale is nowhere near where it was.” That’s a general theme emerging in meetings with business owners throughout the state, Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce President Judy Diogo said. While the availability of federal benefits is one factor for limiting applicants, Ms. Diogo said other would-be workers may still be facing child care issues, as well.
- Biden has made people lazy with all the money being given to unemployment. Let’s take that away and make America work again! — Kevin Maloney
- Pay a living wage and people will work. — Pete Schonert
- Actually, businesses not being willing to pay a fair wage while expecting employees to maintain a higher standard is the problem. If you want better employees, pay a better wage! — Margarett Burns
- So what is your excuse prior to COVID? People were working those wages, and we didn’t have the shortfall like we are seeing now. People would rather get handouts instead of working for what they earn.. — Michael Campbell
- Maybe we suddenly realized how essential we truly are. You all want workers. Well, guess what? You got to pay them a livable wage. — Margarett Burns
- No, the pay has to match the skills required for that job. A person making a milkshake should not be making the same as a person driving an ambulance, working construction on the highway, electric grid, etc. It’s not the employer’s job to make sure the wage is livable. A single person can make it on the income of two minimum-wage jobs easily in a modest community. If you throw in a nonworking spouse, kids, a rich lifestyle, living in a rich community, then you have to take on a job that requires more skill via trade or degree, so you can be paid more. Stop relying on others to get the outcome you deserve. Stop with the victim mentality. Get the pay you deserve by getting a job that pays at that scale. Why even bother limiting yourself to minimum-wage jobs if the pay is too low to live on? No, instead, people would rather sit at home, collecting the handouts and hoping the government comes in and makes the businesses conform to you! Once a “livable” wage is forced on the businesses, it wouldn’t take long for that wage to become “non-livable,” so when does the line stop? — Michael Campbell
- Then, the person driving the ambulance is underpaid, too! — Margarett Burns
- Get yourself a livable education then. — Christopher Joyce
- How do you expect them to get a “livable” education when they can’t afford rent? — Gary Greer
- All I see is “I can’t, can’t, can’t.” You hardly see “I can, I can, I can.” Life isn’t easy. Have goals and priorities that make it happen. Stop willingly putting roadblocks in your way, and your goals/priorities would be accomplished. Of course, it won’t be easy. — Michael Campbell
- You’re right. Life is hard. Pay a livable wage, and it won’t be as hard. — Gary Greer
