MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • June 12, 2022
A nationwide lifeguard shortage that has been growing for nearly two decades worsened during the pandemic when lifeguard certification courses were shut down and foreign college students couldn’t come to the United States to take the jobs for the summer. Maine beachgoers may notice fewer lifeguards – or none at all – on some of the state’s busiest beaches this summer. In Maine and across the country, labor shortages have impacted nearly every industry. Businesses struggling to find workers have been forced to cut hours and services while increasing wages to attract employees. For seasonal businesses, it can be even harder to fill positions that will last for just a few months.