A local politician says he is making it his mission to address labor shortages as businesses continue trying to fully reopen from the pandemic.

Congressman Chris Jacobs is pushing for the Help Wanted Act. He says he introduced the bills in May, to prevent people from taking advantage of unemployment assistance.

If passed, people would have to prove they are actively searching for a job in order to receive any sort of unemployment.

Jacobs claims the recent COVID Relief package was partisan, and says the $300 enhanced unemployment benefit has actually hurt businesses that just barely got through the pandemic.  

“Almost every economist said this, the economy was coming back on its own and if you throw in a significant incentive, which will make it more lucrative for workers to stay at home, shocker, they are going to stay at home,” Jacobs said. “Every other area throughout our region and our country in the restaurant and service area were devastated because they could not, as there was so much pent up demand for business, they could not hire sufficient people because they were making so money to stay at home.”

The Help Wanted Act would also prevent people from filing under broad or general excuses, such as the pandemic. A person would have to further explain why they can’t work because COVID, such as having medical issues.