Much like the rest of the country, several businesses in Wrangell said hiring has become a greater struggle than in the past.
“I haven’t had a full staff in a year and a half,” said Josh Young, with J&W’s. “I hired my first new employee in over a year four days ago.”
J&W’s is looking for at least two more people to staff its kitchen, Young said, but he would prefer more.
Normally there’s an influx of applications around May, kids looking for summer jobs. That hasn’t happened this year.
The odd thing, he said, is while the restaurant is only operating in the afternoons on weekdays due to the staff shortage, it’s still doing the same amount of business as always, though he still would like to add more shifts.
“As far as having a business and being able to get away sometimes … and I’d love to be able to serve people lunch and dinner, and on the weekends … but there’s only so much we can do,” Young said.
Heather Johnson, with the Stikine Inn, said they have several positions available, including at the inn, the restaurant and café. They are looking for a line cook, a dishwasher/prep cook, a server and server assistant, a barista, someone for the front desk, and housekeeping. Applications can be picked up and dropped off at the front desk, Johnson said.
Wrangell’s grocery stores are enduring hiring woes too. City Market is looking for three cashiers and two deli workers, said Sharon Hale. It has been a struggle to fill the positions, she said.
Part of the struggle, Hale believes, is due to ongoing worries about the pandemic and people not wanting to risk getting sick. “Definitely hard getting cashiers.”
John Watts, with Wrangell IGA, said the store is hiring for all positions. Anybody interested just has to stop in and they’ll set up an interview. Whether temporary work, part time or full time, “we’ll take what we can get,” he said.
The state has been using federal funds to pay an additional $300 a week in jobless benefits to unemployed Alaskans, but Gov. Mike Dunleavy has decided that will end this week. The extra money is dissuading some people from going back to work, the Dunleavy administration said.
The Legislature is considering a one-time payment of $1,200 as an incentive for any unemployed Alaskan who takes a full-time job, but that new program will depend on budget negotiations currently underway in the Capitol.
Not every business is trying to fill positions at the moment. James Leslie, with 56 Degrees North, said they are doing fairly well manning the store with temporary and seasonal employees right now. However, he said, they will have an opening in the next week.
Traci Davidson, with Angerman’s, also said their business is doing fine when it comes to staffing.
Jennifer Ludwigsen, with the Totem Bar, said staffing needs are currently filled, but she agreed with other businesses that hiring has been a struggle lately. It has been hard to find bartenders, she said.
Mya DeLong, with Groundswell, said she is not currently hiring but agreed with other businesses that it has been a struggle to fill positions. Right now, though, her business is doing fine.
“I’ve had some people flake out,” she said. “But you don’t know until they’re in the structure of the business. … I think my patience has paid off.”
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