With Unemployment Benefits Ending, Will The Worker Shortage End?

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - Rosana Madrigal has been looking hard for her next job...ever since her management position with the U.S. Census Bureau ran out last year.

In the meantime, she's been depending on the federally funded unemployment benefits enacted during the pandemic which gave her $400+ a week.

"They gave me peace of mind, I didn't have to worry about that and I could concentrate on looking for a job," said Madrigal.

But she's already been notified, her benefits will end on September 4th.

"Roughly two million will see their benefits end."

Employment attorney and former head of the Employment Development Department Michael Bernick says California will join 26 other states which have ended the unemployment benefits.

"As you might expect, there is a greater return to work, but it's not dramatic. A lot of jobs are out there, but it's often not an easy match," said Bernick.

Many of the people who lost jobs during the pandemic were in service industries like restaurants.

But restaurant owner Randy Musterer says he doesn't expect a surge of new applicants because he says the pandemic changed so much.

"I think a lot of restaurant employees got shook out over the last 18 months and they found other careers," said Musterer.

Rosana Madrigal is still looking for management-level work and thinks companies have paused on hiring because of the variant surge.

"With the benefits ending, I'm going to have to look at some hard choices like early retirement, " said Madrigal.

She has a strong resume, working for 20 years in broadcasting, then PR and communications and says she still has a lot to give.

"I'm a PR person, here I am, come get me!"