Mandurah restaurants battling with casual staff unwilling to work

Several of the city's local bars, restaurants and hotels have found themselves desperately short-staffed over the recent months, leaving many to cut back their opening hours.

Among those affected by the staffing crisis are The Stage Door and Sunbreakers.

The latter finds itself down just a couple of workers, but the former has been operating at just 50 per cent of its staff capacity for some time now.

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Gayle Iannetta owns both establishments, and instead of being able to tend to management responsibilities, she's found herself slaving over a hot stove in an effort to get meals out.

"Honestly, it's been tough," Ms Iannetta said.

"I've been cheffing six and a half days a week while juggling management. In an ideal staffing situation I would barely step foot in the kitchen."

The Services Australia website states a single person with no children is currently entitled to $1115.70 per fortnight, an amount that includes the government's coronavirus supplement.

A single person with children can get $1162, while a partnered person receives $1060.80.

Ms Iannetta said the bulk of her casuals had opted not to return to work, with JobSeeker payments covering their usual wage.

"Who can blame them? They get as much now for being at home as they did for coming to work," she said.

"But the problem is the strain it's placing on the remaining workers - most of whom have picked up shifts because they see the pressure everyone is under and they want to help out.

"Now I can't offer those remaining workers days off. I try to fit them in and give them a breather as much as possible but we just need all hands on deck.

"Father's Day is coming up and I'm scared we won't even have enough lunch staff."

A local hotel is having similar problems.

The hotel claims the majority of its casual workers have returned, but says many are now refusing shifts on certain days.

"We have all our casuals back working but they're a lot harder to manage because they're on JobKeeper and get their money regardless of how many hours they are working," the hotel operator, who wished not to be named, said.

"They're fussy about their hours, about which shifts they take and what days they want to work.

"Previously, if you didn't work, you didn't get paid, but now they get their money either way.

"It's a staffing nightmare. We have so much work but the enthusiasm just isn't there."

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Australia hit a grim milestone last week, recording more than one million unemployed people.

It is the first time the figure has been reached since records began, and sees the unemployment rate rise to 7.5 per cent.

The federal government is set to slash the coronavirus supplement on September 25, reducing it from $550 to $250.

Ms Iannetta said she expects some of her casual workers to return once the payment is trimmed.

"Once that changes obviously people are going to need work," she said.

"But in the mean time we're going to have to keep surviving."