After nearly 6,500 workers lost jobs in Atlantic City in 2014, it would seem that there would be many workers available.
But Caesars Atlantic City has run into a snag trying to fill 335 jobs, according to a report in the Press of Atlantic City. The company has 355 openings across its three Atlantic City casino-hotels. More than 150 are for full-time positions with benefits, including health insurance, the report said.
“Entry-level positions. Management positions. Full-time positions. Part-time positions. It runs the whole gamut,” Rick Mazer, general manager of Harrah’s Resort told the paper.
Also on the list are 120 temporary dealer jobs needed for the World Series of Poker in March and summer jobs will be advertised in the next four to six weeks, he said.
The company is having trouble filling the jobs despite Atlantic County having an unemployment rate of 7.9 percent.
Several labor experts said the situation is perplexing, but some speculated that many local casino workers have taken jobs in hospitality markets that appear more stable than Atlantic City. Sources told GGB News that far fewer unemployment claims were filed that expected in 2014 when four casinos closed, and speculated that indeed workers had simply moved to find jobs.
And reports that New Jersey may expand casino gaming to the northern part of the state has only led many Wall Street firms to speculate that more casino s will close in Atlantic City. Caesars is also involved in a corporate bankruptcy.
Whatever the reason, Caesars still needs the workers.
“I scratch my head,” Mazer told the Press. “As I read about and hear about folks commuting to Maryland and Valley Forge (Pennsylvania), and these long distances for jobs that I have open right here. I’m not sure why there is this perception that there are no jobs available in Atlantic City, or in casinos, or in the service industry, because it’s just not true.”
