Jul 13, 2021 Among the daily headlines is talk about the labor shortage that is bedeviling many businesses across the U.S. Shares on social media that discuss the struggles to find workers, or the mismatch between jobs available and the work many people are seeking are often followed by snark about “lazy people looking for handouts” or “free government money.” The truth about this volatile job market and perceived labor shortage, however, is far more complex. Employees across the U.S. had already become fed up with living a life with irregular work schedules that came with terrible pay. As the pandemic exacted a toll on essential workers starting well over a year ago, many also received the message that the types of work available to them would be vastly different come 2021 and 2022. Add the harassment far too many had to endure during the worst stages of the COVID-19 crisis, and it is no wonder that more of them searched for a new line of work – or sought online training with the goal of finding a different type of employment.