Several businesses in Ohio have decided to offer back-to-work incentives for the state residents which do seem to be a part of the stimulus check of that state. The incentives include cash bonuses along with free pizza as most of the companies have been struggling to find workers who would be filling in the vacant roles.
A job openings website called OhioMeansJobs has listed around 270,000 job openings throughout the state- which is almost 70,000 more than what it was at the beginning of the year.
Is Stimulus Check The Reason For Rising Labor Shortage?
As far as whether it is included in the stimulus check goes, most employers have decided to change the way they formulate minimum wage. White Castle- famous for its hamburger slider- has already increased the minimum wage from $11.50 to $15. Wendy’s, a competitor to the company, has already put up a signing bonus of $100 along with referral bonuses. The gas station chain Sheetz has increased its minimum hourly wage by $2 whilst providing summer hour bonuses.
Most Republicans in Congress believe that the labor shortages have been directly caused by the $1.9 stimulus check package signed by President Joe Biden. The law put out federal aid to millions of Americans in order to provide them financial support during the coronavirus pandemic. Several GOP lawmakers are of the opinion that the stimulus disenfranchised people from going back to work.
Members of the White House along with several congressional Democrats have argued that the labor shortages are a direct result of people fearing that they would be contracting the disease- coupled with inadequate access to child care. The latter owing to millions of schools across the country opening up partially via online instruction. They believe that stimulus check isn’t the problem here- the contraction of a novel disease is.
