COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohioans across the state are struggling to pay their bills, and despite a very high unemployment rate, some companies and industries say they’re struggling to fill positions.

As of July, Ohio's unemployment rate is 8.9 percent, according to the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services. That's down from previous months—11 percent in June and 13.9 percent in May—but still a bit higher than in previous years. The last time Ohio's unemployment rate reached above 10 percent was in 2010. 

What You Need To Know

  • Two Men and A Truck is a moving company that is hiring in Ohio, but is struggling to find employees

  • The Ohio Restaurant Association is also seeing employers struggling to fill positions

  • Samantha Lanese, Human Resources Manager for Two Men and a Truck, says moving is in high demand

"We have customers that we’re turning away on a daily basis. Our schedule is very, very full,” said Samantha Lanese, the human resources manager for the moving company Two Men and a Truck

Lanese said despite high unemployment, the company still needs to fill 40 to 50 positions in Ohio. She said competition and inability to do outreach in person are some of the factors.

“The limitations that we came across right there at the beginning of the shutdown were right whenever we were at the peak of the hiring and recruiting phase for our summer busy season. And obviously with those limitations presented us that we couldn’t really recruit any longer on college campuses, do any of the job fairs and things like that.”

While Two Men And a Truck is having some issues finding people to move folks into their new homes, moving isn’t the only industry facing those problems.

“We have restaurants that are closing, which is just because there’s not enough traffic. Capacity is lower, things like that. And you would think because of that there’d be a lot of employees who are available and willing to work at different restaurants," said John Barker, president and CEO of the Ohio Restaurant Association. ”What they tell the potential employers is, 'I can make more money with the unemployment benefits. So, there’s just not a lot of incentive for me to go back to work.'”

Barker said many of the restaurants it represents have former employees who don’t feel the need to go back to work right now.

“It’s not unique to Ohio. We hear this from our peers in other states. I think when you added in whatever the state benefits are, and then the federal benefits on top of that," said Barker. "And then on top of that, some people got those big stimulus checks; some people got as much as $1,200. When you added that all up, quite honestly, people were feeling, you know, pretty good, pretty confident in their cash flow.”

And Michael Goldberg, associate professor of Design and Innovation at Case Western Reserve University, said there are other industries in need of skilled workers that are also struggling to fill jobs.

“Whether it’s in auto mechanics, CNC machines or even masonry, plumbing, these are areas that young people seem not to be going into as much,” said Goldberg, “There was a gap before the pandemic, and the gap is still there.”

Lanese said Two Men and a Truck’s starting pay for movers is around $15 an hour and $19 an hour for drivers with an opportunity for tips. Job training is also provided.