By Craig Anderson

DOVER — Ideally, Redner’s Warehouse Market would operate with around 100 employees.

But assistant store manager Jim Lust said the grocery on Greentree Drive in Dover currently has a workforce of about 80.

There’s no relief in sight, either. Where the business would typically interview eight to 10 job candidates weekly pre-pandemic, two or three are more typical now.

Mr. Lust said some applicants don’t arrive for scheduled interviews either. He believes many apply as a formality to meet requirements for receiving extended unemployment benefits.

Making $12 an hour isn’t enough to bring them to work, Mr. Lust said.

“They’re making more money staying at home,” he said.

There’s a dearth of qualified candidates from what’s already a small group of applicants, Mr. Lust said. At Redner’s, after a conditional hire, the candidate must still pass a company test to officially join the workforce.

“Oftentimes, low scores will disqualify someone who would like to work,” Mr. Lust said.
The limited staff has put added stress on current employees, who “are working harder and putting in more hours,” he said.

Additionally, not all Redner’s employees are prepared to work more, and Mr. Lust said that “it also adds to our bottom line because we are paying (extra-time) wages.”

Mix in the challenge of enforcing mask mandates throughout the pandemic, and Mr. Lust said employee “morale is nowhere near where it was.”

That’s a general theme emerging in meetings with business owners throughout the state, Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce President Judy Diogo said.

“They definitely have a labor shortage right now,” she said.

While the availability of federal benefits is one factor for limiting applicants, Ms. Diogo said other would-be workers may still be facing child care issues, as well.

Businesses now able to operate at full capacity, with restrictions lifted for their customers, can’t find enough employees to meet the new demand, Ms. Diogo said.

“A lot of businesses are stuck in the mode of, ‘Yes, I would like to reopen fully but just don’t have the staff do that,’” she said. “It’s a very difficult situation for them.”

According to Ms. Diogo, however, “there’s light at the end of the tunnel.”

Her optimism comes from the Delaware Department of Labor’s increased requirements to receive unemployment benefits. Starting June 12, claimants must register via Delaware JobLink, which mandates creating or uploading a resume. One unique job search a week must be completed to remain eligible, according to the DOL.

“Delawareans are getting vaccinated, and businesses are reopening and expanding hours of service,” said Secretary of Labor Karryl Hubbard in a news release. “Thousands of jobs are currently available and (unemployment insurance) claimants want to get back to work.

“JobLink is a key tool for connecting potential employees to employers.”

In Dover, business at Restaurant 55 on South State Street has struggled since the pandemic’s onset in March 2020, owner Desiree DiAntonio said. The small business has around 12 employees, about a third of its number before COVID-19.

Two people have applied for work in the past six months, Ms. DiAntonio said. There’s a lack of incentive to work given the current state of unemployment benefits, she added.

There wasn’t enough staff to cover full service when the state allowed 50% capacity inside her restaurant, Ms. DiAntonio said, and 100% exacerbates that issue.

“We all live day to day at this point,” she said. “We get up, come in and get through the day. Then, we wake up the next day and do it all over again. It’s kind of like (the movie) ‘Groundhog Day.’”

Fraizer’s Restaurant & Bar on East Loockerman Street in Dover was closed Monday to allow staff a day off, and another hiatus was scheduled for a week later. Manager Jeff Mullen said there have been discussions about closures on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, as well.

“Never in all my years did I expect to be in this position,” he said.

Also, Mr. Mullen said, “I feel like some people just don’t want to work. I hate to speculate why, but I don’t understand it either. I’ve been working since I was 12, so I don’t understand the concept of that.”

Mr. Mullen pointed to fallout surrounding COVID-19 as a key driver in the struggles, noting that many folks haven’t wanted to go out to eat during the pandemic, and others are scared to go to work.

According to Mission BBQ Area Director of Operations Gus Bloom, the company “is starting to see an increased application flow.”

Throughout locations in the chain (including Dover), Mr. Bloom said, “there needs to be a positive, work-friendly environment. While it’s a challenge (to find employees), it’s also our responsibility to provide an environment that they don’t want to leave.”

Ultimately, Mr. Bloom said, “We’ve been able to meet the needs of our customers.”