What's Behind the Restaurant Labor Shortage—And What to Do About It
After more than a year of pandemic living, lots of people are desperate to get back to the drinking and dining they missed in 2020. But as my colleague Emily Barone reports, many of the employees at those establishments aren't as eager to return.
Their top two concerns, Emily found, were low wages and concerns about COVID-19. Both are highly understandable after the last year of economic turmoil and industry-specific shutdowns. Many people depleted their savings during the pandemic and can't afford to return to low-wage jobs, and others are understandably nervous to come back to rooms full of maskless people—particularly if their jobs lack solid benefits.
Some restaurant owners are offering wages about 25% higher than normal to attract job seekers, but many simply are not in a financial situation to do so, and continue to have to keep costs lower than in pre-pandemic times. As a result, some establishments have had to cut their hours, operate at reduced capacity or simply make the best of understaffing—a vicious cycle, servers told Emily, because customers often tip less when they're frustrated by slow service, making restaurant jobs even less attractive.
Some lawmakers and pundits have suggested that people don't want to return to work because they're still collecting enhanced unemployment benefits, which are set to expire in September. About half of U.S. states, most run by Republican governors, have opted to end the program early, in hopes that it inspires some people to return to the workforce.
"I'm not sure any policy action is going to change the fact that we're still seeing the dust settle as the workforce eases into a new normal," Emily says. "But at the same time, there is certainly an indication that the labor market is recalibrating somewhat, giving employees leverage in their wages."
Restaurants operating in a post-pandemic world, she says, may have to learn to support higher minimum wages or do away with subminimum wages for tipped workers.
About 381.8 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been shipped to U.S. states as of yesterday afternoon, of which some 325.1 million doses have been administered thus far, according to TIME's vaccine tracker. About 46.4% of Americans have been completely vaccinated.
TODAY'S CORONAVIRUS OUTLOOK
More than 181.8 million people around the world had been diagnosed with COVID-19 as of 1 a.m. E.T. today, and more than 3.9 million people have died. On June 29, there were 384,664 new cases and 8,156 new deaths confirmed globally.
Here's how the world as a whole is currently trending:
Here's where daily cases have risen or fallen over the last 14 days, shown in confirmed cases per 100,000 residents:
And here's every country that has reported over 3 million cases:
The U.S. had recorded more than 33.6 million coronavirus cases as of 1 a.m. E.T. today. Almost 604,500 people have died. On June 29, there were 11,596 new cases and 359 new deaths confirmed in the U.S.
Here's how the country as a whole is currently trending:
Here's where daily cases have risen or fallen over the last 14 days, shown in confirmed cases per 100,000 residents:
All numbers unless otherwise specified are from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering, and are accurate as of June 30, 1 a.m. E.T. To see larger, interactive versions of these maps and charts, click here.
WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW
Health officials in Los Angeles County have joined those at the World Health Organization in recommending that even fully vaccinated people resume wearing masks indoors to curb the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant. So far, data suggest existing vaccines protect well against the Delta variant, which means those who have gotten their shots are unlikely to become infected. But with only about half of California residents fully vaccinated, Los Angeles County is taking extra precautions. "Until we better understand how and to who the Delta variant is spreading, everyone should focus on maximum protection with minimum interruption to routine," L.A. officials said in a statement. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) relaxed its mask guidance for fully vaccinated people only about a month ago, saying those who are protected no longer need facial coverings in most settings.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made cryptic comments that suggest his country may be in the midst of a significant COVID-19 outbreak, state media reported today. At a meeting of the Workers' Party, Kim reportedly blasted government officials for "crucial" lapses in antiviral measures that led to a "great crisis," but state media didn't offer details on those lapses. North Korea has claimed to have zero coronavirus infections—which experts highly doubt—but Kim's comments suggest the situation there may be much worse than what has been revealed.
Precautions meant to stop the spread of the Delta variant in Europe may be too little, too late, experts say. A number of European countries have restricted travel from the U.K., where the Delta variant is spreading widely. But, as CNBC reports, more than 30% of COVID-19 cases in Germany and about 20% of cases in France are already caused by the mutated strain, which suggests it may be too late to stop its spread in mainland Europe.
As many experts feared, the number of routine cancer screenings completed in the U.S. plummeted during the pandemic. The CDC's National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, which provides cancer checks for low-income and under-insured women, performed 87% fewer breast cancer screenings and 84% fewer cervical cancer screenings in April 2020 compared to the average of the previous five Aprils. Doctors fear that could lead to an uptick in cancer diagnoses later on, since many warning signs may have been missed.
United Airlines is buying 270 jets—its largest order ever—to keep up with the post-pandemic travel rush. The airline, which lost $7 billion last year, is expecting July to be its first profitable month since the pandemic began, the Wall Street Journal reports. Translation: If you're traveling next month, expect long lines at security.
Even as some travel resumes, the Canadian border with the U.S. remains mostly closed. Canada appears to be waiting until 75% of its residents are vaccinated to fully reopen to international travelers, particularly as the Delta variant continues to spread, the New York Times reports. About 65% of people in Canada have received at least one dose, and an update on the border situation is expected next month.
A COVID-19 outbreak at an Illinois summer camp underscores the importance of vaccinating kids. Eighty-five people at the camp (a mixture of teens and adult staffers) tested positive for COVID-19 and one young adult was hospitalized, health officials announced. Everyone at the camp was eligible for vaccination but few had gotten their shots. Health officials say the incident is a reminder that young people are not invincible and that the virus is still a real threat.
Thanks for reading. We hope you find the Coronavirus Brief newsletter to be a helpful tool to navigate this very complex situation, and welcome feedback at coronavirus.brief@time.com. If you have specific questions you'd like us to answer, please send them to covidquestions@time.com.
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Today's newsletter was written by Jamie Ducharme and edited by Alex Fitzpatrick.
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