Baltimore County is coming up short in hiring school employees, especially those in charge of taking care of school buildings.|| COVID-19 updates | Maryland's latest numbers | Get tested | Vaccine Info || The shortage is raising concerns from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Workers.The head of the employee's union said Perry Hall High School is just a snapshot of what's taking place in schools across the county.Groundskeepers and buildings service workers help to keep school buildings clean year-round and school grounds trimmed but both are in short supply. The union said Perry Hall High School is at least four people short inside and outside its building. It's the same story for Perry Hall Middle School. Baltimore County Public School spokesman Charlie Herndon said he’s not surprised by what's taking place."Everywhere else in the country, we're experiencing a very fluid job market right now," Herndon said.A job market that's forced the school system to become more aggressive in trying hire employees. The school district points to a number of factors, including COVID-19, as reasons why positions are becoming harder to fill."We are seeing other employees who, perhaps, are still on employment or would-be employees who are on unemployment and not ready to jump back into the job market, we are also seeing some folks who are opting for the private sector," Herndon said.The union is concerned Baltimore County, in some cases, has turned to private contractors to cover some jobs where employees may need the extra help."Again, we'll do what we have to do to make sure the positions that we need covered in the schools are covered, so if that calls for a contractor, we'll have to go that route," Herndon said.School officials said they're hoping things will turn around between now and the time students return to the classroom in the fall.