I am suspicious of this whole story. I stopped in at my mall (which has signs all over) and expected people to interview me on the spot or at least give me an application. Nope they wanted me to go home and put in a 40 page long internet application for the "chance" that someone might interview me. In the 80s I got my first job at Sears by just stoping in to HR. They just hired me that day and I filled out only a 1 page application. They wouldn't take a chance on turning me away... yet many retail stores wanted me to go home and wait by the phone for a call -- maybe.

I suspect this is just another way employers are raking in the bucks. Have skeleton staffs and blame inability to get help as the reason the consumer gets bad service and has to pay more. Much more profitable for them.