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May 31, 2016

Summer rush escalates high demand for employees

The shortage of employees in the state is stretching beyond both the construction and culinary sectors, as business owners in Hancock County are struggling to meet the high demand of workers needed during the fast-approaching summer months.

The Ellsworth American spoke to a few business owners in Ellsworth and Bar Harbor, including Kelly Wilder of Witham Family Hotels, who told the American that the hotel group is having a difficult time finding employees this season.

“In fact, the last few weekends most of our upper level management and administrative staff have been cleaning rooms on their off time to temporarily alleviate the problem,” Wilder told the American.

But Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Gretchen Wilson told the American that the shortage of workers extends beyond the usual busy summer season, and has been a trend among area businesses for some time.

“There’s been a difficulty, quite frankly, county-wide, year-round,” Wilson told the American. “It hits us harder as more businesses open for the season because you see the numbers go up of jobs available versus applicants.”

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