Tupelo restaurant managers experience staffing shortage

Many restaurants in Tupelo have "Now Hiring" signs because of a wide-spread employee shortage.

Read "now hiring" ar posted outside of many restaurants in lee county.

One manager said she's had to choose between giving employees a day off or keeping the business open... brianna bynum shares how an employee shortage has further impacted this tupelo restaurant.

Neon pig manager brooke ramsey said there used to be neon pig manager brooke ramsey said there used to be 5 to 6 people on one shift.

But now, sometimes there is as little as two employees working at a time.

."

" weve had now hiring for about 8 to 9 months, weve had maybe two or three applications in those 8 to 9 months."

They're everywhere... signs that say now hiring.

Is this simply a coincidence among local restaurants?

Neon pig manager brooke ramsey said no.

"when they extended the unemployment until august maybe the beginning of september we knew that it was just going to be a struggle throughout our busiest season which is summertime."

Ramsey said staff at the neon pig has worked tirelessly to bring in new people with very little luck.

She added that the shortage is not only a burden for management, but for employees like daniel moore as well.

"we've been having to put in a lot of extra work.

And thats fine because we dont mind working and thats the whole problem because a lot of people dont like working."

Ramsey said meanwhile, staff at the neon pig will continue to put their best foot forward, to avoid closing or reducing hours.

"we dont want to do that.

Were just trying to keep the people that we have here happy.

So hopefully we'll make it through day to day."

Former president of the tupelo restaurant association jim beam said some people can make more money staying at home instead of working.

And like ramsey, he believes thats the main reason so many restaurants are having shortage issues.

In tupelo brianna bynum wtva9news state leaders pushed for months for people here in