Thursday, July 22, 2021 As COVID-19 restrictions continue to relax, manufacturers are facing an ever-tightening labor market. Amidst supply-chain disruptions and computer chip shortages, human capital is proving to be increasingly scarce. Many manufacturers are struggling to fill open positions. While some manufacturers are turning to automation as a solution to the labor shortage, other companies are grappling with the decision of whether to hire workers they may have traditionally excluded from manufacturing positions, such as workers with a history of criminal convictions or who test positive for medical or recreational marijuana use in states where it might still be permissible to do so.