I have a side job in retail. One night a week, sometimes two. We are very short staffed all the time. Before covid and now during pandemics. We hire anyone as long as you breathe and can move around. Most people in retail work part time as they either go to school or work elsewhere the rest of the day (not talking about management) as it’s not a sustainable living, so it’s very transient. We always need people. Over the course of my adult life I often had side jobs like this. Always same story. Need people and hire anyone

Most companies do want internet application nowadays, it’s true.

Now I do believe that covid made the whole employment situation very complicated. But I always knew people who didn’t work yet weren’t on disability, way before covid. Some do work but under the table, some are on welfare, some live off family members. I know someone who is about to lose her house but still wouldn’t get a job. Her husband passed away so she is now relying on her daughter’s SS. Still wouldn’t get a job. So on one hand yes covid is to blame but on the other there were always people who just didn’t work or didn’t work much