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Business Owners In South Florida Say They're Struggling To Get Employees Back To Work

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A disappointing jobs report issued on Friday perhaps lends itself to reality.

The country added only 266,000 jobs. That's well below the anticipated 1 million expected.

The hospitality industry continues to be hit especially hard.

The jobs are there, but it appears some folks would rather collect stimulus and unemployment benefits.

"They want to cheat it, they cheat it. It's probably going to catch up with them," said Gilou Dorsainvil.

Dorsainvil is talking about people taking advantage of the system and sitting home collecting unemployment and stimulus checks.

Dorsainvil is a busser at Cuba Libre and Rum Bar on Las Olas.  He said his work ethic won't allow him to take the easy road.

"I have goals that I want." Dorsainvil said. "I need to work."

There's a labor shortage especially in the hospitality industry.

Cuba Libre's Owner, Barry Gutin, says his restaurant employs roughly 120 people. The eatery is down 50 employees.

"We're open seven nights a week, but we can't open for lunch, or brunch, or late night, because we don't have enough employees," he said.

For a month, Gutin was closed Mondays to give overworked employees a break and to hold job fairs, which proved to be a futile endeavor. The owner wasn't getting enough applications. And those who do apply, often don't show up for interviews.

Cuba Libre even streamlined the hiring process. It created job cards with QR codes that potential employees could scan and start the hiring process. The restaurant is even offering $250 signing bonus.

Meanwhile, president joe Biden addressed the trillions in benefits on Monday and its impact on people being paid to stay home. He says it's not true.

"It's easy to say the line has been, because of the generous unemployment benefits that it's a major factor in labor shortages. American's want to work," he said.

That statement is in direct conflict with what Gutin witnessed at a recent job fare.

Gutin said, "We literally heard people snicker and say, 'Why would I work?'"

Nineteen-year-old server Gabriel Romero echoed the same sentiment. He knows a lot of people who choose not work – and collect benefits.

Romero said he chooses not to be a part of the problem.

"What I'm doing makes me happy and if I'm here and do my work and get more income for my own things for my own personal pride, I feel better about myself," Romero said. "And I'm doing something where I'm not living just from the government."

There are legitimate reasons some people can't work.  They have children who are distance learning from home and can't be left alone. Others are truly afraid of contracting COVID-19.

There's been rumor of another round of stimulus checks. If that doesn't happen, the current checks/benefits are scheduled to dry up in September.

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