Where have all the workers gone? Like most companies in America, we are struggling to find qualified employees. Scratch that!
We are struggling to find anyone who wants to work. Forget about the word “qualified”! We can train people – if we had anyone to train. From restaurants to transportation companies, 911 centers to retail stores, you can find signs everywhere that proclaim – NOW HIRING! The pandemic caused many people to become unemployed through job furloughs, lay-offs and business closures. So, where did all those people go that once were contributing members of society who earned a paycheck and supported their families?
The government stimulus checks, the unemployment supplements and unemployment checks have obviously provided enough income for minimum wage earners to live quite comfortably. In fact, the unemployment benefits have topped the pre-pandemic earnings of most minimum wage earners. That gravy train is coming to a halt soon in California.
California will stop giving unemployment benefits to people who are not actively applying for jobs beginning July 11. Since the pandemic began in March of 2020, California – the nation’s most populous state, has processed more than 20 million unemployment claims and paid out more than $128 billion in benefits. Normally, the most money someone can get from unemployment benefits in California is $450 per week. But Congress added that additional $300 per week on top of that because of the pandemic. That extra money won’t expire until September. Maybe we will see a crush of people looking for jobs when that train comes to a halt as well.
We are hiring! Transportation companies across the nation are also hiring. If you have no criminal record, can pass a drug and alcohol screen and have a desire to work, we have jobs! Lots of them. Tons of them are available in our industry from coast-to-coast. The pay in our industry is fantastic. The average pay for paramedics is $22 – nationwide. They attend years of school and save lives for a living. They can perform field surgery if needed for $22 per hour. 911 Dispatchers also average $22 per hour and deliver babies by phone and help people in their absolute worst moments for $22 an hour.
We start our drivers at $25 per hour and with daily gratuities factored in, a passenger transportation driver can easily make $40 to $60 per hour with no formal education required. Are you ready to start your career with us today? Send your resume to Jim@eckolimo.com and we’ll have you on the payroll next week.