<p>Eric Cox: An iconic Aurora business...</p> <p>Bill Poss: Gone through three recessions, but this COVID thing, that was the worst.</p> <p>Eric Cox: ...is struggling to keep its doors open.</p> <p>Bill Poss: I have no option but to close. I don't want to, but I have to.</p> <p>Eric Cox: Bill Poss has owned Luigi's Pizza and Fun Center for over 40 years. Starting next month, this well known location for birthday parties and laser tag, will be shutting down on Mondays, losing about $3,500 every time they close.</p> <p>Bill Poss: We're 15 people short on help. 15. We had 53 employees. We're down to 29 now. Why?</p> <p>Eric Cox: A lack of staff, and Luigi's isn't alone.</p> <p>Maria Skokan: We're not able to really find help the way we anticipated. How we do it day to day, sometimes it's...I don't know.</p> <p>Eric Cox: Maria Skokan and her husband own Chupacabra Puerto Rican Kitchen on Broadway Street. The restaurant's closed three days a week, and when they are open, takeout is the only option.</p> <p>Maria Skokan: This is our second week closing down indoor dining because of the help. Seats are up. You're turning people away, and who wants to turn away your customers? Because your wait time is an hour, or you don't know when that next table's going to clear.</p> <p>Eric Cox: A US Labor Department report released last week reveals there were over 10 million job openings in August and the number of people walking away from their positions so far in 2021 rose to 4.3 million, the highest level seen in over 20 years.</p> <p>Caleb Lewis: One thing that's clear from the data we currently have is that many of the jobs that are having a hard time being filled now, so we have these vacancies, they are in the service sector, the hospitality sector, they are generally low skilled jobs and low paying jobs. And the reality for many of them is that they've had to go without this work for a long time now, they've either found other options or they've found a way to manage.</p> <p>Eric Cox: Caleb Lewis is a professor of economics and finance at Aurora University. Data shows that right now, there are 5 million fewer people working than before the pandemic began. Lewis lists early retirement, childcare responsibilities, and COVID concerns as some of the biggest factors behind the shortage.</p> <p>Caleb Lewis: We have a lot of people who have simply left the labor force and haven't come back in yet, for a variety of reasons. To be unemployed is to be looking for work, but can't find it. These are folks who just chose to stop working, chose to stop looking for work.</p> <p>Eric Cox: Poss blames the federal government for the nation's labor problems, pointing to pandemic unemployment assistance as a major issue.</p> <p>Bill Poss: They didn't have to pay them $300 extra a week. Extra. Why work? Why work? The government pays you. "Make America Great" to "Make America Lazy."</p> <p>Eric Cox: But expanded unemployment benefits in Illinois ended in early September. 26 other states opted out of federal assistance in June and July. Evidence suggests those states are still struggling. Lewis says it's simple. The labor shortage won't end until COVID 19 is under control.</p> <p>Caleb Lewis: Let's not forget that this is a pandemic driven economic circumstance. And until we can get that under control, we are not going to see a return to a healthy economy and to a normal that we might recognize.</p> <p>Eric Cox: As for Skokan, she's hopeful a higher power plays a part.</p> <p>Maria Skokan: Just have to pray, right? Pray that things turn around soon and we can continue business. And that's what keeps us going, because I know this storm is going to surpass and we shall continue with the dream, because we got bigger plans.</p> <p>Eric Cox: We're Talking Cities Aurora. I'm Eric Cox.</p>