BALTIMORE (AP) — Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the Baltimore area has shed tens of thousands of hospitality workers during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Baltimore Sun reported Friday that many people are choosing to leave the industry altogether.
Restaurant work already required long hours and relentless demands. But the pandemic has also made it more physically dangerous and more volatile.
Servers are terrified to face customers as the virus continues to spread. And bartenders are struggling to find shifts.
The hospitality industry was facing a labor shortage before the pandemic. But business owners now say that it’s become even harder than usual to recruit workers.
Many restaurants also have closed permanently.
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