LANCASTER, Pa. — Lawmakers are looking at ways they can help businesses in Pennsylvania through the workforce shortage.
On Wednesday morning, the Pa. Senate Community, Economic, and Recreational Development Committee will hold a hearing at the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce on this labor issue.
Businesses say they have jobs available, but no workers to fill them.
The Lancaster Chamber of Commerce President Tom Baldrige told FOX43, he thinks the labor shortage is a multi-part issue, with childcare and transportation issues as top reasons people have not returned back to the workforce.
Baldrige is optimistic through hearings like the one being held Wednesday, state lawmakers can help alleviate the issues holding Pennsylvanians back from getting back to work.
"The impact in business is huge," said Baldrige. "There are companies making decisions on taking on additional work or they schedule full slate of hours and try to meet consumer demand with the limited number of employees they have available to them and it's creating a pinch."
Baldrige said that unemployment and the extra benefits could also be a factor, but is certainly not the only reason people are not working.
According to the Department of Pa. Labor and Industry, Pennsylvania's unemployment rate continues to fall.
In June, the state's unemployment rate was 6.9 percent, with employment rising for the fourth time in the past five months.