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Hospitality industry looking to hire now in Cincinnati

restaurant worker shortage
Posted at 5:42 AM, May 03, 2021
and last updated 2021-05-03 07:35:39-04

CINCINNATI — Many in the hospitality industry lost their job when the pandemic hit in 2020, but now the industry is looking to hire workers as things begin to open back up in Cincinnati.

During the pandemic, about 35% of job loss in Ohio was in the hospitality industry.

Julie Calvert, the Cincinnati USA Convention and Visitor's Bureau's president, said there is a strong convention lineup coming to the area in the second half of 2021. However, businesses in the hospitality industry need to hire workers now after so many were let go in order to meet the demand before the conventions come to town.

"Unfortunately, we have some hotels in the area that have to shut off entire floors because they don't have the housekeeping staff to keep up with the rooms and that's going to be particularly important once we have these conventions," Calvert said.

On top of hotels looking for workers, Calvert said restaurants are looking to hire people too. One of the owners of FB's Kitchen and Lounge said he needs to hire 60 people to work at the restaurant now.

"He said the first 60 people that walk through my door, that are willing to work, they're on," Clavert said. "That's how serious it is."