CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) - About 4.3 million people quit their jobs in August across the nation, and the impact is being felt in central Illinois. 
 
According to the Labor Department, this is the highest in records since 2000.
 
"It's hard to think that this many people just dropped out of the workforce," Andrea Seten, the general manager at Papa Del's Pizza Factory, told WAND News. "Before, I would have stacks of applications to go through and have to call and check references and now like if I get an application, you get an interview, you know, it's really, it's definitely changed." 
 
Papa Del's Pizza Factory is one of many businesses affected by this labor shortage. Labor and employment Professor Eliza Forsythe at the University of Illinois said we are experiencing a tight labor market.
 
"It's an easier time for workers to find jobs than it usually is. We call that a very tight labor market. With the virus surges, you know, people are more cautious about working, maybe less, you know, choosing not to work or choosing to find other jobs that are maybe less dangerous," Forsythe said. 
 
She said this labor shortage is happening nationwide in a variety of industries, but the leader and hospitality industry had been hit the hardest. Seten at Papa Del's said students and other potential employees are just not as willing to work during the pandemic.
 
"We did used to see a quite a bit of students as employees, whether it was delivery drivers or servers or bartenders (and) now, not so much," Seten said. 
 
Because of the shortage, restaurant hours have been cut as businesses try to make sure those who are staffed are not overworked.
 
"We used to stay open until midnight or 1 a.m., and now we've been closing at nine and 10 p.m," Seten said.
 
She said on Sundays, they used to close at 9 p.m. but have had to close as early as 4 p.m. 
 
She said she's hoping the holiday season brings in more applicants.
 
"Whether it's part time, full time, random days of the week, times of the day that you're available to work, there's flexibility in a lot of positions right now," Seten said.
 
Even if you think you are limited in your schedule, they are willing to work with you. Those with disabilities are also encouraged to apply. 
 
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