‘It’s a minefield’: US restaurant workers leave industry over Covid

Workers cite exploitative practices and lack of Covid safety protections as some employers and officials claim unemployment benefits deter people from returning to work

Jake Galardi Marko has worked in the restaurant industry for the past 10 years, and recently took a new server position at a Cheesecake Factory in Las Vegas, Nevada, after quitting his job at the Olive Garden of two years during the pandemic due to abuse from customers over Covid-19 protections.

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