With Memorial Day weekend only a month away, New Jersey’s seasonal businesses are dealing with a hiring crisis as thousands of summer jobs on boardwalks and other vacation spots remain unfilled.
Some business owners blame the labor shortage on extended unemployment benefits and the $300 in weekly supplemental federal benefits that have made people less incentivized to find work. The logjam in processing visas for international college students, who traditionally fill thousands of summer jobs in New Jersey in places where there are not enough local residents to hire, has also contributed to the problem.
Joe J. Cleary II, the CFO and Vice President of Morey’s Piers in Wildwood, described the labor shortage as “a significant challenge to our recovery.”
Morey’s Piers currently has 1,500 open jobs for ride operators, lifeguards, food and beverage workers, game operators and parking attendants who can earn $15 an hour, which is well above the state’s $12 an hour minimum wage, and $11.10 an hour mandated wage for seasonal jobs. Seasonal associates receive additional perks including: free use of the amusement rides and water parks, discounted passes for friends and family and discounts on food and beverages.
The season opens Saturday, May 8 at Morey’s Piers, which has more than 100 rides and attractions spanning over 18 acres along six beach blocks.
Go here to view a recent report by CBS News in Philadelphia about the labor shortage at seasonal businesses in New Jersey.
