The live, virtual event is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Tuesday (tomorrow), May 11.

While workforce challenges in the restaurant and hospitality industry have received greater attention in recent weeks, Tuesday’s virtual town hall will also bring further attention to how the crisis is reaching broadly across additional industries.

Scheduled participants include representatives from the childcare, healthcare, manufacturing, hospitality, lodging, agriculture and tourism industries.

Additionally, New Jersey policymakers have been invited to attend – as many have taken part in previous NJBC Town Hall events.

Reporters will be provided the opportunity to ask questions of all participants during the discussion. Media interested in covering the town hall event can register here.

“Last week Governor Murphy dismissed this issue as a ‘passing reality’,” said NJBIA President and CEO Michele Siekerka. “However, there are ways we can help our businesses regain their workforce now through lifting childcare license restrictions, getting our one-stop career service centers open, delivering a stronger message about the rules regarding ‘available for work’ and assisting businesses with incentives to attract our workforce back.

“We cannot drive the sustained economic recovery New Jersey desperately needs by waiting out the summer and ‘passing’ to the end of the enhanced unemployment insurance benefits, which will come too late in September.”