Press release:
Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) held a press conference this morning with Jim Butera, president of the WNY Chapter of the NYS Restaurant Association and owner of Butera’s Craft Beer and Craft Pizza, to discuss the labor shortage caused in part by enhanced unemployment benefits.
“I consistently hear from small businesses in my district that have multiple open positions and cannot find anyone willing to work. In February, against numerous warnings, Democrats and President Biden forced through a massive partisan package filled with unnecessary spending. The result is they have made it more lucrative to stay home than to seek employment,” Jacobs said.
“This has become detrimental to our economic recovery, and many businesses are losing money, shortening hours, or closing down entirely because they cannot find employees. Unfortunately, this translates to longer wait times, higher prices, and shortages of numerous products families need.”
“The government keeps providing stimulus money instead of encouraging people to find and get employment, and it is hurting my business and all those around me," Butera said.
"This is equivalent to ‘give a man a fish and feed him for a day, teach a man to fish feed him for life.’ Our government needs to end disincentives, get back to working for the people, and make our economic recovery and small businesses a priority."
Jacobs introduced the Help Wanted Act (H.R. 3148) in May to combat these disincentives and prioritize our economic recovery. Specifically, the legislation: 1) restores work search requirements, 2) removes the expansion of unemployment to individuals who voluntarily left their job, and 3) clarifies that general safety concerns related to COVID-19 are no longer sufficient grounds to claim unemployment benefits.
“Our regional economy relies heavily on the service industry and manufacturing – the businesses hurt most by this government spending,” Jacobs said.
“The President’s reckless spending has forced businesses to compete with the government. As long as these benefits remain in place, businesses will continue to struggle from massive labor shortages, prices will increase, and supply chains will suffer. I call on the House to consider the Help Wanted Act to end these disincentives to work.”
