Tuesday, June 22, 2021 | 2 a.m.
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About 3.5 million fewer Americans are in the workforce now compared with February 2020, according to the recently released May jobs report.
From understaffed restaurants and bars to a lack of construction and retail workers, there are signs all around us that businesses are struggling to hire the employees they need. As a small-business owner, I know the difficulties of finding and keeping our stores staffed with quality individuals.
While evidence is mixed on whether these anecdotes and jobs report data amount to a labor shortage, what is clear is the importance of offering not just decent salaries but compelling benefits packages, as business owners buoy the economy in the wake of the pandemic.
Employer-provided health care coverage must be the cornerstone of these efforts. It has helped my company in its recruitment and retaining efforts. In research by America’s Health Insurance Plans, 75% of workers with employer-provided coverage reported that insurance had an impact on their decision to accept their job.
Our staff was polled, and they rejected the idea of only having Medicare for All. They said they preferred having an employer plan, allowing them to visit good doctors with low copays and low deductibles. In January, we began covering 100% of their health care premiums.
As job recruitment takes center stage in our nation’s economic recovery, let’s make sure we’re giving options for employer-provided coverage.
The writer owns Fingerprint Express.
