Employees, Businesses In Fast Food Industry Struggle As Understaffing Issues Continue

Employers across the state are experiencing a labor shortage that experts believe is a product of the pandemic. The CEO of the State Chamber of Oklahoma said there are about 8 million job openings nationally and nearly 10 million people unemployed. 

There are "now hiring” signs all over Grove and many other towns in Oklahoma. You will find them at the Sonic in Grove, at the Rib Crib across the street and Taco Bell and KFC just down the road. 

Life is resuming as close to normal as it can be, and many businesses are still trying to find their footing post-pandemic. 

"You've got a lot of people reentering the workforce that have been out of the workforce. You've got employers that are still trying to figure out what they need," Chad Warmington, President and CEO of the State Chamber of Oklahoma.

Warmington believes there are three main reasons behind the labor shortage. He said, for one, people are scared of contracting COVID-19. Warmington said there is also a lack of access to affordable childcare and attractive unemployment benefits.  

"Our concern was the federal government really distorting the labor market with the federal unemployment benefits that they were laying onto top of all the normal unemployment benefits," Warmington said.  

Governor Kevin Stitt recently eliminated the additional $300 a week unemployment incentive and introduced a new, one-time, $1,200 dollar return-to-work bonus.  

"We're hopeful that that will start getting some of those people off the sidelines and back into the workforce," Warmington said.  

The labor shortage has been a major issue for several businesses, including the fast food industry. The understaffing has led to many workers leaving the industry. Tara Young started working for the Sonic in Grove back in February but said she quit shortly after.

"I have really bad anxiety and when it came to rushes, there was like, I could not even function properly,” Young said.  

Several employees at the Sonic in Grove said they quit over the weekend including Brandan Hanes who said the increased workload was overwhelming. 

"Our workers are tired. They need a break. They need to eat. It needs to stop for a minute," Hanes said.  

News On 6 spoke over the phone with a manager of the Sonic in Grove regarding the employees who quit over the weekend who said he did not want to give a statement.