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Some Puget Sound businesses struggle to hire despite more teens seeking jobs

While more and more teens are seeking jobs this summer, businesses are still struggling to find extra help.

KENT, Wash. — Eager teenagers are stepping in to fill the gaps during the labor shortage. According to NBC, more than 32% of teens have a summer job this year, the highest since 2008.

However, many local businesses are still struggling to hire even teens.

Jasmin Mendoza owns Sweet Notes Cafe in Kent with her two sisters. They are used to seeing and employing staff in the 17 to mid-20s age range. With just five employees, Mendoza said they have only been able to hire two people since Phase 2 of Governor Jay Inslee's reopening plan started. She said they really need at least ten employees to run the cafe comfortably.

"Maybe a lot of parents don't feel safe to have their kids working," said Mendoza. "If we get an application, even to get to the interview point it's like, people don't actually show up or they don't follow up again."

Mendoza and her sisters opened up Sweet Notes Cafe in January 2020, just a few months before Washington shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We had an amazing first three months, I mean more than what we ever even imagined, and then of course, when the shutdown happened [everyone went] from like 100 to just zero," Mendoza said.

Sweet Notes was able to survive because of a loyal group of regulars who made a point to come in and pick up takeout orders. Since Washington state reopened, Mendoza said business is booming again.

However, the number one request from customers is that the cafe stay open later, which Mendoza said is not possible until they get more help. 

She's also worried about the impact of the delta variant.

 "I cannot imagine if we have to close down again, things just started getting back into that like [theme] of everything seems normal," Mendoza said.

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