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Reading an article about how it's hard to hire food service workers right now. Here's four things I wish each story on this would mention:
One: What is the access to in-person schooling in the area? What is the landscape of day care closures/availability?
One: What is the access to in-person schooling in the area? What is the landscape of day care closures/availability?
You cannot work in a restaurant and care for children at the same time.
More than half of food service workers are women. 25% of Black women and 30% of Hispanic women work in a service occupation (which includes food).
BLS CPS tables 10 and 11
https://www.bls.gov/cps/tables.htm#charemp
More than half of food service workers are women. 25% of Black women and 30% of Hispanic women work in a service occupation (which includes food).
BLS CPS tables 10 and 11
https://www.bls.gov/cps/tables.htm#charemp
Two: Have their been many wage and hour complaints made about restaurants in the area? Is it a particular problem there?
The food service industry has the highest concentration of wage and hour violations of wage theft.
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/data/charts/low-wage-high-violation-industries
The food service industry has the highest concentration of wage and hour violations of wage theft.
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/data/charts/low-wage-high-violation-industries
Three: Have their been many sexual harassment charges made about restaurants in the area?
According to analysis of EEOC claims, the food industry is also has the highest concentration of on-the-job harassment complaints.
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/women/news/2017/11/20/443139/not-just-rich-famous/ https://www.vox.com/identities/2017/11/21/16685942/sexual-harassment-industry-service-retail
According to analysis of EEOC claims, the food industry is also has the highest concentration of on-the-job harassment complaints.
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/women/news/2017/11/20/443139/not-just-rich-famous/ https://www.vox.com/identities/2017/11/21/16685942/sexual-harassment-industry-service-retail
Four: what is the local vaccination rate, mask rules, and mask compliance? Are workers expected to enforce any of that? Has there been an incidence of violence towards workers?
"A New Jersey man who argued with Burger King employees over not wearing a mask returned later in the day and choked one of the workers, authorities said Monday..."
April '21 https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2021/04/burger-king-customer-attacks-chokes-worker-after-face-mask-argument-cops-say.html
April '21 https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2021/04/burger-king-customer-attacks-chokes-worker-after-face-mask-argument-cops-say.html
"A Menards shopper is accused of using lumber and a hammer in an assault over masks, policy say. An employee of the home improvement chain’s location in Hutchinson, MN, was assaulted with lumber by a 61-year-old man Wednesday afternoon..."
April '21 https://www.kansascity.com/news/nation-world/national/article250693819.html
April '21 https://www.kansascity.com/news/nation-world/national/article250693819.html
"Police in Rhode Island say a man assaulted a 16-year-old Walmart worker after refusing to put a mask on his young child."
April '21 https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2021/04/24/police-rhode-island-man-assaulted-16-year-old-walmart-worker-over-mask-request
April '21 https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2021/04/24/police-rhode-island-man-assaulted-16-year-old-walmart-worker-over-mask-request
"A viral video that originated on TikTok and has migrated to other platforms shows a customer at a California McDonald’s lose her composure and grab a worker’s mask before storming off."
April '21 https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-angry-customer-grabs-mcdonalds-worker-mask-california-video-20210210-ycm4tbmnrfb5bodq4rceevta2a-story.html
April '21 https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-angry-customer-grabs-mcdonalds-worker-mask-california-video-20210210-ycm4tbmnrfb5bodq4rceevta2a-story.html
"A Dunkin’ store served up a chaotic scene recently when police said a customer attacked a worker after being asked to put on a face mask."
April '21 https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2021/04/08/dunkin-employee-attacked-tip-jar-mask/
April '21 https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2021/04/08/dunkin-employee-attacked-tip-jar-mask/
^Those are articles from last month. But this has been a theme of the pandemic.
May of 2020 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/15/us/coronavirus-masks-violence.html
May of 2020 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/15/us/coronavirus-masks-violence.html
July of 2020 https://www.businessinsider.com/workers-face-verbal-and-physical-assaults-from-anti-mask-customers-2020-7
August 2020 https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/mask-dispute-leads-couple-s-assault-teen-sesame-place-worker-n1236382
In the industry where wage theft and sexual harassment complaints are common, do workers have access to care and is there reason they wouldn't feel safe on the job because of the pandemic or the culture wars associated with it?
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