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The pandemic is not only affecting global public health but also causing chaos for the economy, disrupting supply chains and causing labor shortages for businesses around the world.

Economists say that not only changing demographics like aging and retiring employees are a factor behind the shortages, but also border controls, immigration limits, and demands for better pay and flexible working arrangements.

The latest labor data from the United States, for example, shows that the number of people who are willing to walk away from their jobs or to switch employment is growing. A U.S. Labor Department's Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, released in October, showed there were 10.4 million job openings in August whereas the number of people leaving their jobs (the so-called "quits rate") rose to 4.3 million, the highest level seen on records dating back to December 2000. And it's showing.

On Monday, a Chipotle location in Kentucky was forced to temporarily close its doors after half of its staff walked out on the job

Image credits: ROC United

A video showing the simple sign the employees left went viral on TikTok in the hours following the mass resignation, and local Kentucky reporter Doug Proffitt also posted a picture of it on his Facebook, adding a statement from Chipotle itself.

The location's general manager, Raven Whallen, provided this explanation when reached by the Louisville Eccentric Observer: a series of unexpected staff resignations forced the Chipotle location to temporarily close its doors on Monday, but that didn't prevent it from reopening Tuesday morning. Apparently, the restaurant lost three employees on Monday. One had already put in her two-week notice but decided to leave her position early. Another was too frightened to return to work after discovering that her car's catalytic converter was stolen and her tires slit. A manager also left their position, leaving the store acutely understaffed.

But Chipotle, like many restaurants and fast-food locations across the US, has been struggling to maintain its employee count. The ongoing pandemic, paired with difficult customers, unsympathetic corporate management, and low pay, make these positions difficult to sell, even for the industry's typically young workers. As noted by Whallen, "A lot of people don't want to work nights, and if they do, they’re underage. So, it's kind of hard because they all have to be off at a certain time. We have to follow the labor laws."

In a similar case, one Dunkin' Donuts worker put his pay stub on blast, saying he doesn’t get paid enough for the misery he goes through

Image credits: ScorchedEarthCorey

TikToker @scorchedearthcorey blasted Dunkin' Donuts for not compensating their employees enough. "I just want you to look at this because, for some reason, some people think that other people are there to entertain them," he said in his viral clip."This is my main source of income, to pay child support ... Do you think with my 73 hours of f****** misery and bulls***, that you should come and try to bother me more? People think customer service is end-all-be-all. Let me explain something to you: I do not get paid enough to listen to you. I do not get paid enough to take your B.S. I do not get paid enough for you to treat me like I'm your entertainment."

People think the ordeal at the Kentucky Chipotle is a sign of a larger problem

And they're right, similar signs have been popping up all over the United States

#1

Nobody Wants To Work

Nobody Wants To Work

fightfor15 Report

#2

Much Better Than The “Nobody Wants To Work” Signs Many Restaurants Put Up Now

Much Better Than The “Nobody Wants To Work” Signs Many Restaurants Put Up Now

supersport1104 Report

#3

It's Happening

It's Happening

HaritoMorales Report

#4

It's About Time

It's About Time

MattPostSaysHi Report

#5

Local Wendy’s Meets Its End

Local Wendy’s Meets Its End

harpesfyuf Report

#6

How Are You Guys Doing?

How Are You Guys Doing?

brettdapitts Report

#7

Sorry But We Are Closed

Sorry But We Are Closed

bhig3 Report

#8

My Local Burger King The Other Night

My Local Burger King The Other Night

nataliemaria Report

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#9

No More Exploiting Us

No More Exploiting Us

BrandsOwned Report

#10

They Left Off

They Left Off

mcdowell_is Report

#11

Nobody Wants To Work

Nobody Wants To Work

leigh_fall Report

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Libstak
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

$2.13 an hour is an obscenity. That's $21.30 for 10 hours of a person's life, how can they not be ashamed to think they are entitled to that level of even slave labour from anybody?

Paul Davis
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Then they try to guilt the customers for not paying enough tips to make up the difference. The whole tipping thing is a scam for both employees and customers.

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ilikeplants
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the US, $2.13 is the going rate for servers (waiters). Sadly, it's what I got paid almost 20 years ago, and apparently it hasn't increased since then. Legally you can pay servers basically nothing because it's assumed they'll end up making at least minimum wage through getting tips.

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Mad Dragon
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

$2.13 per hour is the wage for tipped employees. It was originally 50% of the normal minimum wage, but the amount has not increased in 30 years!

Lizzie Riley
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

National minimum wage in the UK is £8.91 ($12.05) an hour. Taxes are only paid when you earn at least £12,570 a year. Our tax and national insurance is taken directly from our wages and the NI pays for our healthcare. I wouldn't move to the states for all the money in the world (I'm epileptic so would probably have to spend it all on medication within the first 12 months anyway).

Brenda Owens
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Okay, I am definitely going to say it. I don't care who gets angry.....Them's slave wages. There I said it.

Dina Anastasakos
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How is this not illegal? At least in Canada we have a 14.35 per hr minimim wage. Not great but better than this!

Jo Davies
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I pay my gardener more than this for 6 hours, a full breakfast, lunch (with desert) and cold drinks during the day. And he keeps Christmas pay and a paid month's leave once a year.

Esther (she/her)
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What the f***? 2$ an hour? How do people live like this and other countries worship the usa?

chi-wei shen
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You can choose $2.13 per hour or a slap to your face, whatever is less inconvenient.

Fluffy Griffin
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I like how they say "Benefits" so at first it seems like they are actually offering them. (Benefits being medical, dental insurance etc)

SAF saf
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, $2.13 is disgusting yet the people in these states continue to vote the same people that support this system. FYI California lets you keep your tips and pays $13/hr. Even at that rate we still have restaurants that are under staffed.

What it Do123
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I lived in California. An they make 13$ hr An tips. An have 5 jobs. An still having problems paying the bills. If California had only this problem it would be fine. Fix your homelessness problem first. I could name a thousand disgusting things about California.

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Dina Anastasakos
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And then the Republicans complain when people need to use food stamps!

йЫ щЪё
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Benefits are the tips. They should just say - tips is your salary. I would be embarrassed to be a manager at that restaurant.

Chucky Cheezburger
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Think they might get more interest if the DIDNT include the pay rate, a list of "benefits", and the work schedule.

Sonny Finstababy
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No one wants to work anymore? That's bullshit! We want to work! FOR REAL MONEY! People need to get paid living wages!!! If employers want employees, they need to treat them with respect! The first thing that shows respect is wages that they can live on, and save,and have a future! What? Should we work for the rest of our lives and have nothing!?! Nothing to show for all the hours and hard work for room and food? Then what? No clothes, no fun,no future!?! No one wants to work is just something people will say when they don't want to pay!!!!

Karen Guy
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I live in Vancouver BC Canada.in my province the minimum wage is $15.20 per hour. I quit for a better job that pays $21 per hour. I couldn't even imagine working for$2.13 an hour. My first job as a teenager back in the mid eighties was $5 per hour.

Lynn Pickering
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Their joking right. They really expect people to work for $2.13 an hour. How would you actually survive on that. No wonder no one wants to work for them

James Mills
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i think they've ACCIDENTALLY put the decimal point in the wrong spot.

Trish Dougherty
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's much less than 2.13 an hour because you have to claim tips which then get taxed. Most people only claim 5-10% of the tips they make to ensure they don't owe on the paycheck. I'll never forget my first paycheck at my first job as a waitress. I thought I was being slick by only claiming 20% of my tips...and I was excited to get my first check- sure it was only for $2 an hour but I had 110 hours. My check was for $9.12. 110 hours for 9.12. Because i claimed 20% of my tips and no one told me to only claim 5-10. Horrible degrading soul crushing system. Im beaming w pride for every worker who won't take it anymore. We are worth more than this!

DetongLhamo
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Minimum wage in Australia is at least $18.50, but I think it may have gone up.

Viki Banaszak
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ah, employee discount means that you have to pay for your meals out of your big $50. pay check. Some even make you pay for the nasty uniforms they make you wear.

Lyn Moffett
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

2.13 an hour. I wouldn’t let my kids get out of bed too go work there for that insult. Fkn cheek to pay buttons to people who are often abused verbally and often physically, no amount of money would pay people to accept this behaviour but 2.13. Fk that.

Patti Vance
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

the restaurant industry can get away with this because they assume that the customer is going to give tips to subsidize that idiotic low wage. also, some states with wages as low as this also require you to report your tips in order to tax them which means the dollar that was earned & taxed is taxed again when given as a tip. system even has it figured out that X amt of tips per hour worked. when they did this & i was working we just figured the min amt out to claim.

Debi Givens
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We want slaves, not workers that should be paid a living wage. I guess they just don't get it. Who doesn't want Low pay, Long hours, Disrespectful Managers & Supervisors that show no gratitude? Greed, is the American Way!

Thomas E S Thomas
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's actually not bad. The tip system can produce up to $200 a night per server. I always tip 10% for good service and 20% for great service.

Angela Moll
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Servers/Waitstaff are 95% a tipped position which is why the hourly is $2.13 an hour. Most servers make $15-$30 an hour in tips, I know I was in Restaurants for 30 years.

Ross Gardner
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Time to move to Ontario Canada. Servers make $15.00 per hour now, plus tips. I am stunned by $2.13 an hour - that's just wrong!

Stefani Nachatilo
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

$2.13 is still more than my brother get at his prison "job" where he is forced to work for 5 cents an hour or be wrtten up (which is how they keep their workers). The more write ups you have the longer you're in prison.

Fuqcancer Prout
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I did serving for a long time and I got fired because I wasn't making enough of tips like that was the craziest thing ever because my mgr was like if you sold this amount of food you should have made this amount in tips like how can I make someone give me what they give. Not everyday is a good day and not everyday is a bad day. I think servers should be paid at least 8.00 that's a job where you definitely have to deal with costumers bs

Vanessa
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Waiters should not depend on tips to make a livable wage.

Liam Lowenthal
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

2.13 an hour! *Dies laughing and looks for the "nobody wants to work" comments*

Metallic Geisha
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'll be more sympathetic to tip based living wages when they get their crap together & strike for better pay.

Andrea C
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Food industry deserves what they are getting 25 years in the business your treated like crap over worked and under paid. If you are sick or time off is like you commit a crime. Time stand up against the industry

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#12

No One Wants To Work Anymore

No One Wants To Work Anymore

chrisjollyhale Report

#13

9 Employees Quit At A Burger King Location In Nebraska. They Cited Egregious Working Conditions

9 Employees Quit At A Burger King Location In Nebraska. They Cited Egregious Working Conditions

Report

#14

Nobody Wants To Work Anymore

Nobody Wants To Work Anymore

moral_mel Report

#15

Store Closed

Store Closed

anthonyvclark20 Report

#16

Nobody Wants To Work Anymore

Nobody Wants To Work Anymore

uw888 Report

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#17

No One Wants To Work

No One Wants To Work

Report

#18

New ‘Nobody Wants To Work At A Burger Joint Where They Can’t Afford The Food’ Hours

New ‘Nobody Wants To Work At A Burger Joint Where They Can’t Afford The Food’ Hours

Type_A_Minus Report

#19

What's Going On With Fast Food Employees Quitting?

What's Going On With Fast Food Employees Quitting?

totally_a_moderator Report

#20

This Sign At A New York Burger Joint

This Sign At A New York Burger Joint

Report

#21

The Pharmacy In My Pharmacy Is Closed. I Was Supposed To Pick Up My Diabetes Meds Here…didn’t Get A Call, Message, Nothing…

The Pharmacy In My Pharmacy Is Closed. I Was Supposed To Pick Up My Diabetes Meds Here…didn’t Get A Call, Message, Nothing…

ScorpionBob Report

#22

Sids In Aptos. Nobody Wants To Work For You Anymore!

Sids In Aptos. Nobody Wants To Work For You Anymore!

imhere4science Report