Employee shortages seem likely to continue in 2023 season
Like many places across the country, for the past few years, Cape Region businesses have been struggling with two main issues – finding employees and keeping supplies on the shelves.
During a Rehoboth Beach commissioner meeting in December, Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce CEO Carol Everhart said there was some hope a federal bill looking to help with at least one of those issues – employees – would pass through Congress as part of the federal government’s recently approved spending bill.
Unfortunately, that did not happen, said Everhart.
The chamber has recently joined the Seasonal Employment Alliance, an advocacy group focused specifically on expanding who qualifies for an H-2B visa and how long those who qualify can stay for work.
Similar to the more well-known J-1 visa program, the H-2B visa program allows potential employees from outside the country to fill seasonal employment opportunities. However, instead of an employee base of college students working summer jobs in resort towns as part of a cultural exchange program, the H-2B visa program is for migrant employees who fill jobs in the agricultural industries.
Everhart said she had been hopeful language broadening the definition of immigrant workers who were allowed to enter the country under an H-2B visa would pass through Congress.
Looking to the upcoming spring and summer seasons, Everhart said staffing and supplies are going to continue to be a problem. For example, she said, she was at a local drugstore recently and there were unpacked boxes everywhere, making the place look like a mess.
“They just don’t have the staff to get it done,” said Everhart.
Everhart said she doesn’t think employment problems are related to pay. When a person can drive down the road and see jobs being advertised for $15 an hour or more, it’s not the pay that’s the problem, she said.
Instead, Everhart said she thinks it’s a combination of two issues – people who were close to retirement when COVID hit decided to retire, and some people are still receiving pandemic relief benefits. That money should be running out soon, she said.
