“I think that we will probably see a more, maybe a more, intensified version of it,” Klouda said. “Just because of how, just because how much extra employment we need in the summers in Alaska.”
Klouda said that summer brings tens of thousands of jobs into Anchorage every year from the tourism industry to construction laborers. “Any kind of workforce shortages that you see the rest of the year just become a lot more magnified during those summer months,” Klouda said. McCarthy said they have seasonal staff come in and help out at his restaurant. However, even with seasonal staff returning in the summer, it is still uncertain how the summer months will go.
“People are still not coming back to work. They’re still not applying for jobs. I still can’t tell you if I’m going to be open seven days a week, but I’m going to try stay open seven days a week in the summer,” McCarthy said.
That’s because unemployment is down and everyone is back to work, right?
eyes wide shut