Rising pay appears to be one reason more younger people are working again.

The percentage of American workers testing positive for drugs is at a 20-year high

According to one expert, COVID deaths and workers left on the sidelines from long COVID account for 18% of unfilled jobs.

Some nursing homes say they can’t compete for workers, as fast-food places and other retailers have raised wages.

Many U.S. hospitals report being critically short-staffed. Some are reducing beds and services or bringing back infected workers.

Some in the trucking industry say the mandate may exacerbate its current worker shortage.

“It’s the most desperate situation that I can ever recall being in and I’ve been in some pretty desperate ones,” said one restauranteur.

Many health care workers have fled the pandemic’s burdens in areas with low vaccination rates and fragile economies.

Flush with demand, meat processors are walking away from wild game.

Productivity drops can confirm other trends like rising wages and shortages of materials.