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Show New Snow Too Late To Ease Unemployed ? byNanChalat This week's snow will hopefully stem the growing tide of unemployment in Park. City. For some who arrived in early November and either were promised work or couldn't find a job, it is too late. Many young seasonal workers have already al-ready left town. For others who have been working shortened hours, it arrives just in time. "Everything is so ski-related," ski-related," says Kathy Lamb, who has been working at two, sometimes three jobs to stay solvent. In an effort to keep as many people working work-ing as possible, many employers em-ployers have split the available avail-able shifts. Many people who consider themselves lucky to have a job are only working two or three days a week, which might not be so bad if the skiing were good. Most employers will state that they haven't begun to hire to full caDacitv. "There aren't too many alternatives for those who are out of work," he added. "For many who planned to go to work in December, the jobs just didn't materialize." Along with the managers of many restaurants, Rene Martinez said that in addition addi-tion to scheduling fewer shifts for each waitress, if someone quits they are not at this time bein replaced. Unfortunately, many seasonal sea-sonal . job seekers are not eligible for unemployment. Turner suggests that they contact his office to see whether they are eligible for out of state unemployment claims. The Storm Watch Happy Hour in the meantime has been successful. For some, the new powder is an invitation to hit the slopes. For many, it means that they will be able to return to work and by now, many are glad to do so. . The Park City Ski Resort is working with only 40 of its usual workforce, according to Mountain Manager Phil Jones who states, "We trained some people that we couldn't put to work because of the snow conditions. ' ' At Park West where despite the lack of snow, all " lifts have been operating and there have been no layoffs, but Manager Dick Frost says that they hired 25 less than last year at the outset. Job Service has received substantially fewer job orders. or-ders. Dave Turner, who manages the office in Heber, savs that the unemployment rate is up throughout Utah but that Summit and Wa-satch Wa-satch Counties have surpassed sur-passed the state averages, Utah's unemployment rate has risen .2 to 4.7 in the last year; Summit County's rate is estimated at 6 and Wasatch County's at 7. "Usually they drop below the state average during the ski season, commented Turner. Part of the increase, he feels, is due to the overall inflationary trend but in Park City, whose growth would normally indicate a drop in unemployment, the statistics are clearly an indication of the wide-spread effect of the lack of snow. |