North Texas employers faced with a shortage of workers this summer

GRAPEVINE. Texas - Faced with a shortage of workers, many North Texas employers are working to get the word out that they are hiring.

After Marie Jones lost her job as an airline ticketing agent, she is ready to get back to work to provide for her 3-year-old daughter.

"My family wants us to feel secure and live a good life, but it is hard," she said.

But many employers are struggling to find people like Jones.

"Yes, we are seeing an impact. That is one of the reasons we are doing this national event to showcase what Great Wolf Lodge has to offer as an employer," said Amy Lane, an assistant general manager for Great Wolf Lodge.

While there are now more vaccines than people who want them, there is another head-scratching situation.

In some industries, like hospitality, there are more jobs than workers. This is happening while unemployment remains high.

SMU economist Mike Davis says there was a time and place for unemployment extensions.

"Never experienced anything like this pandemic. The mantra was you can't do too much. Now, I think we are finding out there are consequences in overspending that I think it is clear we engaged in March," he said.

The latest stimulus bill approved by Congress also extends federal unemployment benefits into September. Davis says that could actually extend the recession.

"Classic supply shortage," he said. "If you can't hire the people to produce the things people want, spending will not happen. The recovery will be that much slower and take that much longer to get out of the pandemic recession."

Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine is looking to hire 160 people with the appeal of working at a resort.

"The way we incentive is to focus on the packages we offer," Lane said. "We offer access to pools and slides so they can bring their families to play and offer discounts on rooms."

If Great Wolf Lodge is unable to get fully staffed, they will have to continue to limit capacity this summer despite pent-up demand from people who are now vaccinated.

"We want to focus on service," Lane said. "If we did not have staff, it would not push capacity beyond that."

Jones got hired on the spot.

"Looking to start on the sixth," she said.