SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Many are starting to think about when everyone can get back to work. A Sacramento City Council committee passed a motion Tuesday to craft a policy that should help.
The policy focuses on helping laid-off workers, who worked for their former company at least six months, get their jobs back first before an employer can search elsewhere.
“Many people have lost their jobs and many of those are janitors, hotel workers, who are at the very edge and don’t have many options,” Sacramento City Councilmen Eric Guerra said. “There may be areas where maybe folks are on unemployment, but once that runs out and once we begin to open up again there’s going to be a demand for work.”
Guerra said this is a way to plan before a full re-opening.
Erika Bjork with the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce said members are focused on hiring.
“One of our business owners put it best, it’s a whiplash, you open, you close, the changes, you gotta track data.”
She said the June 15 date for full reopening is great news for small businesses, retailers and restaurants. In the meantime, Bjork says businesses should continue to practice social distancing, wear masks, be flexible on what service looks like and encourage staff to get vaccinated if they want to.
“If it’s something they want, that they have the time and space to go get because that is a big priority for all of us,” she said.
For people looking for jobs and for employers looking for employees, Guerra recommended the Sacramento Works program.
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