'More open jobs than we have people': Alabama businesses continue to struggle with labor shortage
There are more than 83,000 job openings across the state of Alabama, according to the Alabama Department of Labor. Everything from getting a bite to eat to life-saving medical care is impacted by the shortage. “We have more open jobs than we have people right now,” said Tara Hutchison with the Alabama Department of Labor. Child care, pay, and work schedules have all been attributed to the labor shortage. While the state has 83,000 open jobs there’s only 70,000 unemployed people. And Alabama’s workforce participation ranks among the lowest in the country, with 57.4% of eligible Alabamians either holding a job or looking for one.”To be fair, we’re impacted,” said John Petrov, the chief human resources officer at University of Alabama Birmingham Medicine. >> LOCAL JOBS: Tuscaloosa County hosts summer job fair for teenagersPetrov said they’ve had to navigate the labor shortage by bringing in workers from out-of-state. “UAB has not shuttered services, and that is oftentimes the case that can happen to hospitals if you don’t have enough staffing, but we’ve supplemented with travelers or contingent labor,” says Petrov.While many medical professions are impacted by the shortage, nurses are particularly difficult to find. Petrov said that is an issue across the country and one they’re seeing at UAB.”A nursing position … you may have one to two qualified applicants,” said Petrov. Given the shortage of applicants for jobs, UAB Medicine said retaining employees is one of their top priorities.”It’s not just about recruiting talent. It’s about taking care of, nurturing, developing and caring for the people we already have,” said Petrov.Petrov says the size and scale of UAB Medicine gives them the ability to navigate the shortage, but there are still challenges.”There are not enough beds for patients across the country and wait times definitely are impacted,” says Petrov. CEO and Executive chef of SLIDE Café, Raquel Lenzie, is on the front lines of the Labor Shortage. “I actually had someone resign yesterday,” said Lenzie. Can’t see the graphic? Click here.The Alabama Department of Labor said leisure and hospitality businesses are hurting the most from the labor shortage. Lenzie said increasing food and overhead costs is killing her business and hurting her ability to retain customers. “You can’t offer consistent hours, you can’t offer the 401K, you can’t offer medical benefits and I feel like that’s what retains people is the benefits,” says Lenzie. “In this industry we’re not able to do that because our margins are so tight.”If she can’t get more employees, it could be difficult to keep her beloved business open.”It’s definitely hurting, and it’s a potential doomer if I can’t get people quick,” said Lenzie. >> THE LATEST: Headlines and weather from WVTM 13 There is a bipartisan effort to pass the “Working for Alabama” legislative package. It’s made up of seven different bills to address the labor crisis in the state. The Alabama Department of Labor hopes it will chip away at the amount of open jobs now and in the future. “We’re not only targeting those folks that are on unemployment or looking to change jobs, but we’re also working with the pipeline coming through,” says Hutchison. Even if every unemployed Alabamian found a job today, there would still be more than 13,000 job openings across the state. >> RESOURCES: Employers and people looking for jobs can click here. Stay updated on the latest stories with the WVTM 13 app. You can download it here.
There are more than 83,000 job openings across the state of Alabama, according to the Alabama Department of Labor. Everything from getting a bite to eat to life-saving medical care is impacted by the shortage.
“We have more open jobs than we have people right now,” said Tara Hutchison with the Alabama Department of Labor.
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Child care, pay, and work schedules have all been attributed to the labor shortage. While the state has 83,000 open jobs there’s only 70,000 unemployed people.
And Alabama’s workforce participation ranks among the lowest in the country, with 57.4% of eligible Alabamians either holding a job or looking for one.
“To be fair, we’re impacted,” said John Petrov, the chief human resources officer at University of Alabama Birmingham Medicine.
>> LOCAL JOBS: Tuscaloosa County hosts summer job fair for teenagers
Petrov said they’ve had to navigate the labor shortage by bringing in workers from out-of-state.
“UAB has not shuttered services, and that is oftentimes the case that can happen to hospitals if you don’t have enough staffing, but we’ve supplemented with travelers or contingent labor,” says Petrov.
While many medical professions are impacted by the shortage, nurses are particularly difficult to find. Petrov said that is an issue across the country and one they’re seeing at UAB.
“A nursing position … you may have one to two qualified applicants,” said Petrov.
Given the shortage of applicants for jobs, UAB Medicine said retaining employees is one of their top priorities.
“It’s not just about recruiting talent. It’s about taking care of, nurturing, developing and caring for the people we already have,” said Petrov.
Petrov says the size and scale of UAB Medicine gives them the ability to navigate the shortage, but there are still challenges.
“There are not enough beds for patients across the country and wait times definitely are impacted,” says Petrov.
CEO and Executive chef of SLIDE Café, Raquel Lenzie, is on the front lines of the Labor Shortage.
“I actually had someone resign yesterday,” said Lenzie.
Can’t see the graphic? Click here.
The Alabama Department of Labor said leisure and hospitality businesses are hurting the most from the labor shortage.
Lenzie said increasing food and overhead costs is killing her business and hurting her ability to retain customers.
“You can’t offer consistent hours, you can’t offer the 401K, you can’t offer medical benefits and I feel like that’s what retains people is the benefits,” says Lenzie. “In this industry we’re not able to do that because our margins are so tight.”
If she can’t get more employees, it could be difficult to keep her beloved business open.
“It’s definitely hurting, and it’s a potential doomer if I can’t get people quick,” said Lenzie.
>> THE LATEST: Headlines and weather from WVTM 13
There is a bipartisan effort to pass the “Working for Alabama” legislative package. It’s made up of seven different bills to address the labor crisis in the state.
The Alabama Department of Labor hopes it will chip away at the amount of open jobs now and in the future.
“We’re not only targeting those folks that are on unemployment or looking to change jobs, but we’re also working with the pipeline coming through,” says Hutchison.
Even if every unemployed Alabamian found a job today, there would still be more than 13,000 job openings across the state.
>> RESOURCES: Employers and people looking for jobs can click here.
Stay updated on the latest stories with the WVTM 13 app. You can download it here.