FAIR LAWN, N.J. (WCBS 880) — A New Jersey Congressman is pushing the state to implement more incentives to get people to return to work as multiple industries continue to see a shortage of staff.
The hours and staff have practically been cut in half at the Empress Diner in Fair Lawn and owner John Melissas says he has struggled to get employees to come back.
“You can only keep so many people – it is what it is. The longest and the best employees stay and the other ones, you try to get back but there’s no interest,” he said.
Melissas says when he does find people who are interested in working, they are more interested in the pay than the work.
“The first word out of their mouth when you make a phone call and they reply to you is, ‘How much are you going to give me?’ That entails a good worker? ‘How much are you gonna give me?’ That's the first question, not, “Hey, can I have a job,’” the owner said. “So, we have to get people that really want to work.”
Congressman Josh Gottheimer agrees, and is asking the state to implement a back-to-work incentive giving a $500 bonus to people on unemployment if they return to work by Aug. 1 and stay through Sept. 1.
“Our hope is that this is another way to try to get people back to work,” he said. “I think there's lots and lots of reasons and a lot of factors of why it's hard [to return to work] but, the bottom line is what matters is are people coming back and can we get them back.”
Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday said he thinks the idea is a good one, but does not want to commit federal assistance dollars to the proposal just yet.
“It's a good idea but it's too early. The American Rescue Plan money is something, again, we want to make sure we get this right, that we spend that money responsibly,” Murphy said. “We have the ability to spend over a period of years. I just want to make sure we get a good budget and that we then get the federal money in in a really good place.”
Other states like Colorado and Connecticut have already implemented similar back to work incentives.
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