By MADDY VITALE
Ocean City has no trouble attracting tourists, shoppers, diners, beachgoers, Boardwalk strollers or home buyers.
But getting enough workers for seasonal jobs on the Boardwalk, downtown or anywhere else in “America’s Greatest Family Resort” is another story.
COVID, stimulus checks and extensions to unemployment coupled with a desire after a tough year to “chill out” on the boards, beach or somewhere else are theories for the lackluster start to filling up jobs for amusements, shops and restaurants.
Then there is the issue of a slow down due to the pandemic of J-1 visas issued for students to come over from other countries and work.
Whatever the reason, business owners and city officials are urging job seekers to take a look at all of the positions on the Boardwalk and downtown. The jobs could lead to careers or simply be a steady summer gig, they said.
“There are so many opportunities on the Ocean City Boardwalk for employment and in the Ocean City community altogether, but especially on the Boardwalk for students, young adults and seniors to have a great seasonal job,” Michele Gillian, executive director of the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce, said in an interview Monday.
She continued, “Now that we are starting the new normal, there are tons of opportunities and the pay is excellent.”
Gillian noted that there isn’t any one specific business sector having trouble finding enough seasonal help — it is all over the island.
“I don’t know anyone who isn’t having hiring challenges right now,” she said. “Hopefully, with schools letting out and college kids coming home, more people will come out and apply for jobs. We are ready for a terrific summer.”
The pay at some locations has increased to $15 an hour, while other businesses continue to keep the same pay scale but offer perks such as discounts and staff parties.
Jody Levchuk, an Ocean City councilman and co-owner of Jilly’s Boardwalk and downtown stores, said it has been a challenge to hire this summer. However, he said all of his stores are open and staffed.
“There is always a help issue in Ocean City, but it certainly doesn’t help what’s going on right now,” he said. “All of these ‘Help Wanted’ signs up on the Boardwalk are just another reminder about how important the J-1 program is.”
Levchuk said there is an opening for a store manager at the new Jilly’s in the downtown. There are a variety of job openings at several of the stores and the Jilly’s offices as well.
“I’m sticking to what we do best. We offer a great atmosphere and give kids a good education and our stores are fun,” he noted. “There is value to loving your job over sometimes the few bucks extra at the end of the week.”
There are amusements parks, including OC Water Park and Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, that are among businesses that opted to increase the hourly wage to $15 for some of the positions.
Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, for example, is advertising $15 an hour for ride operators and cashiers as a way to attract more help.
Brian Hartley, vice president of Playland’s Castaway Cove, said finding summer help has been very difficult mostly because everyone is hiring. There is also less of a desire by young people, he said, to work more than two or three days a week.
“Everyone is hiring,” he said. “There are a million other options. Usually, everywhere by this time is filled up.”
Hartley said every ride at Castaway Cove is open, but summer help is not only hard to get right now, but hard to keep.
While Castaway Cove isn’t offering $15 an hour, Hartley, like Levchuk, plans to continue to offer what typically attracts seasonal workers year after year.
“We take care of our staff and that is why we get kids coming back year after year,” Hartley pointed out. “We do employee parties, miniature golf and basketball tournaments, things to keep kids engaged. The kids make friends and have fun.”
And also, like Levchuk, Hartley expressed frustration over the slow down on the J-1 visas.
“We have 11 kids scheduled to be hired,” he said. “Three are here and the other eight don’t have appointments to come over yet. If I knew they were coming, I’d be almost all set.”
