Good Lifestyle

While someRestaurants are struggling to stay in business Due to the repercussions of thecoronavirus pandemicFor others, businesses are not hard to find.Arnold's restaurant Is one of them, a beloved lobster and a clam bar located in Eastham, Ma. According to Cape Cod Health, Eastham saw less than 10 cases of coronavirus since the beginning of March .Yet even if the number of COVID-19 cases is weak for their city, Arnold has always made the difficult decision to close on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. It differs from their usual summer summer model open every day from July and August, probably the most occupied months due to an influx of holidaymakers to Cape Cod.

However, their reasoning of the closure has nothing to do with a shortage of customers (they still have a lot), but in terms of help they have behind the counter.

Restaurants are in difficulty without enough employees.

"People think we have reduced our hours because we ran on Covid," says Andrew Wright, General Manager of Arnold's restaurant. "But we are not panicked about Covid. Since the beginning, we have been in full compliance with the state and local mandates in terms of what we need to do. We have the plexiglass in place, we have all the World wearing masks. None of its part is optimal, but it is difficult. What is not functional does not have employees. So when people ask [why we are closed], I tell them. And I repeat. "

Wright has placed small yellow panels in plexiglass on each table with an excuses of the direction of Arnold on the decision to make this decision difficult, as well as their reasoning behind it - a shortage ofrestaurant workers. According to Wright, Arnold's needs at least 75 to 80 employees on their normal summer season list. Wright says he's a 25% dip in his list and more than 50% of his cuissues do not go to work.

"Until last week, I was the only guy who worked every hour on the cooking line," says Wright. "Now, there are two of us. Every hour, we are open, you'll see me go back there on the line of frying. It's good, I get it, that's what I have to do . But I know people who are employable and who are employable and who I even worked here who even accepted this work this year, but then decided to take unemployment until "free money" either finished. "

Have fewer workers at the Arnold restaurant is due to two responses from the government to the pandemic. The first was the suspension of visas for foreign students and travel students, who were actually a large part of the local labor force in Cape Cod through government-sponsored programs. Wright estimates about 35% of its usual list of employees comes from workers from this program. Currently, he has none.

The second reason for restaurants reducing hours and probably the most significant is that many are probably familiar with unemployment benefits. In addition to the usual unemployment benefits, workers receive, the government has forced the government to $ 600 of weekly bonus for unemployed workers. According to Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia inA press release from the US Department of Labor"The $ 600 Weekly Unemployment Compensation Boost included in the CARES Act will provide valuable support for American workers and their families during this difficult time".

Although the amount is generous and can improve life significantly for the unemployed, when comparing payroll checks for the restoration of similar institutions in Arnold's, the evidence is clear: the bonus pays more than their normal salary .

"The minimum wage in the Massachusetts right now is $ 12.75," says Wright. "But in Cape Cod, if you think you can do everyone to wash the dishes or do one of these things for the minimum wage, you are crazy. It's not that we do not pay people. The question is Really, how many customers want to pay for a fish and a chip? "

Wright says to be paid $ 600 per week is matched to employees who work regularly in demanding circumstances, as in the kitchen in a favorite restaurant Cape Cod.

This bonus was adopted by the Government on March 27 and should be executed until July 31. Currently, an extension of this bonus has not been announced.

How the bonus affected restaurants and workers

So what about these workers? With allocations that go beyond their usual checks, it can be demotivated to start work again, especially in public environments such as restaurants, daycare and shopping centers. But in the case for Wright, the motivation he testifies to not return to work has nothing to do with safety around Covid-19. In reality,He had former workers requested to be paid in cash so that they can continue to collect unemployment over their normal work salaries.

"The unemployment program has its merit, there are many people who have lost their jobs and need help because of COVID," said Wright. "But when an employer begged a former employee to come back, because we really need you and that the answer is" no ", unless you pay me in a way that will not interfere with the influx of our Weekly government check, "There is something really wrong with that. I had people who tell me they will not come here until unemployment is available. "

Even if the bonus is ready to end on July 31, Wright is not convinced that Arnold's will come back to a model of 7 days in August. Part of its summer help includes students, who will have to leave in early August before the school season. Many businesses in Cape Cod rely heavily on a summer season of 12 weeks and, while Wright feels from Arnold, will be able to scratch, it is not confident that many belovedsmall enterprises On the island can survive, even though these institutions are littered with "Wanted help" signs, signs outside their doors before.

"Cities are not big enough to support that," says Wright. "We are going from cities with only 2,000 people to cities of 25,000 people in July and August, because of the visitors. It's a huge call for service ... So where are we going to have these people? I have a lot Young children here that don 'T wants a 40-hour week's commitment, so I have many part-time children. But that does not allow us to keep our doors open. "

At the beginning of the pandemic, the national restaurant of the restaurant estimated5 to 7 million jobs lost In the restaurant industry. Although the allowance has benefited several people who have lost jobs and need to support families, in the present case of restaurants now begging workers to return (especially for those who rely on summer affairs for hold them through the winter), it could beThe nail in the coffin For many of our beloved locks.

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