It seems like everywhere I go throughout our community I see “Help Wanted” signs. So many businesses are hurting because they can’t get employees. I see fast-food restaurants that can’t open their dining rooms because they only have enough employees to run the drive-through. Many businesses are having to reduce their hours of operation. It seems that every type of industry, across the entire economy, is experiencing a shortage of labor. 

The unemployment rate in the United States is currently 5.8%, as opposed to a rate of 3.5% prior to the pandemic. Normally, unemployment is fueled by a lack of jobs, but now that is clearly not the case. Not only are there plenty of jobs out there, employers are increasing wages and giving sign-on bonuses in many cases in order to attract people back into the workplace.

This begs the question, why aren’t capable workers taking the available jobs? Some feel it is due to the increase in government benefits that, in effect, reduce the need to work. This may be exacerbated by pandemic-inspired laws prohibiting people from being evicted for failure to pay rent, or having their homes foreclosed on for failure to pay their mortgage. Another reason for workers not returning to the workplace may simply be continuing fear of COVID-19. As of this writing, Georgia ranks 44^th out of 50 states, having less than 37% of the population fully vaccinated. This leaves us especially vulnerable to COVID, especially to new threats like the Delta Variant which is causing surges in infection rates in many areas around the country. Truthfully, each person’s decision whether or not to return to work is unique. Every person must decide for themselves if, or when, the time is right.

My agency has not been immune to this issue. The Sheriff’s Office is experiencing record vacancies which is impacting our ability to carry out all of our functions. This, coupled with a pay-scale that is not competitive, has caused extreme hardships in recruiting and retaining staff. Thankfully, the Dougherty County Board of Commissioners will vote on a proposal this month to raise pay for public safety employees, and to do so without raising taxes. If approved, this will make us more competitive and greatly help us to fill in the gaps.

For many of us, dealing with this pandemic will be remembered as the single most difficult event of our lifetime. Our lives have changed in so many ways that a complete return to a pre-pandemic normal is likely never going to happen. However, returning to a more normal economy – with people filling all of these vacant jobs – is likely not far off. I encourage everyone to keep the faith, consider getting vaccinated, and take the time to thank those who are working. If you know of local businesses that are struggling, try to patronize those businesses rather than defaulting to an on-line retailer. We are all in this struggle together, and together we will make it through. God bless.