The state’s labor secretary is offering her thoughts on why there continues to be a labor shortage in Pennsylvania.
Jennifer Berrier testified before a House committee late last week and weighed in on why some people aren’t returning to the workforce.
“What we’re uncovering through different studies is that people are reevaluating the work that they do, and especially during the pandemic it’s caused a lot of people to look inward,” Berrier said.
She also says the labor shortage is hitting some industries harder than others.
“We’re finding a lot of the lower wage jobs that didn’t necessarily have strong worker protections are the industries that are struggling, like hospitality and leisure.” Berrier said offering stronger worker protections may boost employment numbers.