HIGH COUNTRY â To say that summertime in the High Country is one the most important times of the year for the local economy would be an understatement. However, as the summer season looms, many businesses are experiencing an alarming shortage in the available workforce.
Melissa Appleby, who owns and operates Absolute Comfort Hot Tub and Pool Repair alongside her husband, Dave, is one of the numerous High Country business owners who is looking for individuals willing and able to work. Appleby says that the difficulty in hiring new employees has persisted over the past year.
âLast year at this time we had seven people on staff, and as soon as Covid broke out it slowly dwindled away. You just couldnât hire anybody because everybodyâs drawing unemployment. If theyâre drawing $1,000 a week, why would they work for us, you know? Iâve talked to electricians, plumbers and other types of service businesses and itâs the same thing. They canât get any h