BATON ROUGE - Many businesses struggled immensely because of coronavirus-related closures and mandates. Staffing issues were a major concern for business owners, but those seeking jobs are now filing in at an overwhelming rate.

The owner of Express Employment Professionals hiring service Rebecca Herbst says she lost over one-third of her business in the beginning months of the pandemic with a dangerously low amount of people hiring or looking for work.

The demand for workers or those seeking employment in mid-November has taken a major leap.

Herbst believes this spike stems from many adapting to living life during a pandemic and the decrease in benefits. She says even with the major increase in potential employees seeking work, businesses have even more positions to fill.

Mandatory masks, limited capacity, and social distancing are just a few changes restaurants like Superior Grill had to face because of the pandemic. Now, after months of short staffing, job applications are flowing in the restaurant at a similar rate to the eatery's popular margaritas.