Grayson Times

Many business have shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic, but others are looking to hire workers.

Workforce Solutions Texoma has hundreds of job openings listed, director Janie Bates told The Herald Democrat. She said there are a variety of jobs and they are all over the area.

“They are from retail, like grocery stores and essential types of businesses, to manufacturing and drivers and delivery services,” she said. “Nearly every grocery store in town is hiring. Some of our manufacturers are hiring ... there are some individual companies that are looking for drivers."

Workforce Solutions Texoma | website

Nearly 17 million Americans have filed for unemployment over the last three weeks. Although her office does not handle unemployment claims, Bates says she routinely gets calls from people who are looking for information on how to file. She told The Herald Democrat that her office received more than 4,000 calls last week asking about how to claim unemployment benefits. 

Meanwhile, the Workforce Solutions Texoma offices are closed. They are handling business by phone in order to conform with the quarantine, she said. 

Prior to the coronavirus shutdowns, unemployment claims in Texas had been historically low, Bates said. For the past several years, unemployment has been at or below 4%, and demand for unemployment insurance has been at record lows. 

Texas was not prepared for the sudden demand and the shear volume of inquiries, Bates said. People tell her that they have made 30 and 40 attempts to get through on the phone lines. The state has been overwhelmed, she told The Herald Democrat, scrambling to find workers to staff the unemployment offices and extended unemployment office hours to Saturdays. 

“People are desperate for information,” Bates said.