It hasn91裸聊视频檛 been flagged as a prevalent issue for all business leaders, but some Semiahmoo Peninsula restaurateurs are saying the $2,000 per month Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) has made it difficult for them to call employees back to work now that they91裸聊视频檝e re-opened to dine-in customers.

Of the businesses that Peace Arch News spoke to Tuesday, White Rock91裸聊视频檚 Laura91裸聊视频檚 Coffee Corner (15259 Pacific Ave.) has been the most seriously affected by CERB.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 the most frustrating thing I91裸聊视频檝e encountered, ever, in my life,91裸聊视频� coffee shop owner Laura Cornale said.

91裸聊视频淧eople are saying no, they don91裸聊视频檛 want to come back to work. They91裸聊视频檙e like, 91裸聊视频楽ee you in August or September.91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�

CERB pays out $500 per week to people who have lost their job or are earning no more than $1,000 in a four-week period due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Introduced on March 15, the benefit had previously maxed out at 16 weeks, but was recently extended until Sept. 9.

Prior to the pandemic, Cornale said she had 16 staff on her payroll. That number has now dwindled to six.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 disheartening because I have put all of our heart and soul into our small business trying to have people that work local, live local and (I) can91裸聊视频檛 find anybody,91裸聊视频� she said.

Cornale said, in her experience, the workforce shortage is related to CERB payments.

91裸聊视频淚 feel like they91裸聊视频檙e comfortable on the CERB because they91裸聊视频檒l probably make more money,91裸聊视频� she said, adding that she has had to reduce shop hours.

91裸聊视频淵eah, I would like to be open, like I used to, from seven to five and hustle and bustle. But I literally have six people back and we91裸聊视频檙e working every day.91裸聊视频�

Roadhouse Grille91裸聊视频檚 (1781 King George Blvd.) Jana Mash told PAN Tuesday that employees wishing to stay home and collect CERB instead of returning to work was a challenge when the restaurant re-opened May 25.

91裸聊视频淚f you91裸聊视频檙e 17 years old and you probably bring in $500 a month because you work one or two shifts a week 91裸聊视频� and they were basically approved for $2,000 a month 91裸聊视频� I mean, these kids are having a flipping heyday,91裸聊视频� Mash said.

SEE ALSO:

Roadhouse91裸聊视频檚 payroll has been reduced by half, from 41 employees to 21.

Now, Mash said, staff members who are getting shifts are grateful for the work.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e all working, we91裸聊视频檙e all happy, we feel safe. We91裸聊视频檙e all abiding by all the protocols that help us feel safe and comfortable, as well as the guests.91裸聊视频�

She said that for the most part, customers have been respectful, understanding of the circumstance and are just happy to have a place to go.

91裸聊视频淎 lot of things are different, a lot of things look different. Nothing is on the table, everything gets brought out, ketchup, roll-ups, the salt and pepper, everything gets brought out sanitized,91裸聊视频� Mash said.

Primo91裸聊视频檚 Mexican Grill (15069 Marine Dr.) general manager Samantha McQuade said that while she has heard of other restaurants having problems retaining employees, it wasn91裸聊视频檛 a major issue for them.

McQuade said when they decided to re-open, there was hesitation from some employees about whether they would work enough hours to make more money than they would receive on CERB.

91裸聊视频淲e ensured that anybody that we91裸聊视频檙e bringing back was going to have enough hours to be making more than what you would be making 91裸聊视频� once you pay your taxes 91裸聊视频� on CERB,91裸聊视频� she said.

McQuade said customers have been understanding of the new health protocols, have been tipping well and are in a fantastic mood.

91裸聊视频淚 was expecting it to be chaos and to be dealing with really frustrated customers. But I found that the effects have actually been quite the opposite. People are just so happy to get out and about that they91裸聊视频檙e being really, really respectful,91裸聊视频� McQuade said.

Joseph Richard Group (JRG), which owns a number of restaurants throughout the Lower Mainland including S+L Kitchen and Bar (16051 24 Ave.), has encountered some challenges related to CERB payments.

JRG payroll director Marie Wynne told PAN that there was some initial hesitation from some staff with regard to how their CERB would be affected if they returned to work.

91裸聊视频淎nd while there were some that decided to remain off work in order to collect CERB, we are definitely grateful that a large number of our staff have returned to work, whether in a full or part time capacity, with some of our staff working in combination with stipulations under the CERB program (earning up to a max of $1,000/month in combination with the CERB benefit),91裸聊视频� Wynne wrote in an email.

SEE ALSO:

Wynne said some staff have decided to not return to work, however, some of these employees live with elderly relatives, are around immunocompromised family members or have young infants at home.

91裸聊视频淭his is something we absolutely understand and support and we are grateful that the CERB is available to support them and their families,91裸聊视频� Wynne wrote.

The issue of recalling employees was discussed during the South Surrey & White Rock Chamber of Commerce91裸聊视频檚 June 12 virtual townhall. Guest speaker Danny Bernstein, a partner with workplace-law firm Roper Greyell LLP, told attendees that there may be consequences for those who are ready and able to return to work, but choose to stay on CERB.

91裸聊视频淵ou can expect your employees to come to work, that91裸聊视频檚 the general rule,91裸聊视频� Bernstein said.

91裸聊视频淭hings like, 91裸聊视频業91裸聊视频檓 getting more money on CERB than I would at your restaurant91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� is not an adequate reason to refuse to come to work. Similarly, 91裸聊视频業91裸聊视频檓 just not comfortable.91裸聊视频� That, in and of itself, is not enough for someone to refuse to come to work. They need to put a reason to it.91裸聊视频�

Bernstein said a piece of leverage employers 91裸聊视频� who, he emphasized, are responsible for proving their workplace is safe 91裸聊视频� have in such situations is the ability to notify government of the refusal. The employee could be deemed to be 91裸聊视频渁bandoning91裸聊视频� their job, he said, explaining that if that is the case, they would no longer be considered to be laid off due to lack of work, but rather, to have quit, 91裸聊视频渨hich is a disentitle to EI.91裸聊视频�

Surrey Board of Trade CEO Anita Huberman said in an email that while some businesses have experienced challenges relating to CERB, its overall impact has been minimal.

91裸聊视频�$2,000 a month when living in an area that is the highest cost of living in Canada, is not a lot of money,91裸聊视频� Huberman wrote.

White Rock BIA executive director Alex Nixon said he has heard some concerns about labour shortages, but it hasn91裸聊视频檛 been wide-spread.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 something that I91裸聊视频檓 going to keep an eye on and keep asking people about because where we91裸聊视频檙e at right now might not be where we91裸聊视频檙e at even a month from now,91裸聊视频� Nixon said.

Nixon noted that some restaurants have reduced the number of staff required to run the business.

91裸聊视频淵ou don91裸聊视频檛 need as many servers if you91裸聊视频檙e only serving half as many tables,91裸聊视频� he said.

Some smaller family-run businesses, meanwhile, such as PG91裸聊视频檚 Jamaican Restaurant (1387 Johnston Rd.), have not experienced a workforce shortage, a representative told PAN.

A representative from Ocean Park Village Pub, another family-run business, also told PAN that they91裸聊视频檙e grateful for their core team members who have helped with re-opening.

aaron.hinks@peacearchnews.com
Like us on and follow us on