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CHICAGO (CBS) — Going through a scarcity of lifeguards, the Chicago Park District has pushed again the opening of its public swimming swimming pools by greater than every week, till July 5.
Park District swimming pools initially had been slated to reopen for the summer time on June 24, however Park District officers mentioned they’re nonetheless struggling to workers the swimming pools.
“Whereas we now have a enough variety of lifeguards defending our seashores, which opened Might twenty seventh, a number of elements, together with the nationwide lifeguard scarcity, affect the District’s means to safe ample staffing for our swimming pools,” Park District spokeswoman Michele Lemons mentioned in an e-mail. “We perceive the significance of swimming pools as sources of recreation and reduction, notably throughout extraordinarily heat temperatures. This is the reason we proceed to recruit certified candidates and supply incentives, together with bonuses and quickly enjoyable the District’s metropolis residency necessities.”
The Park District mentioned delaying the opening of its swimming pools till July 5 will enable them extra time to recruit lifeguards for the summer time.
“We proceed to draw candidates each day and wish time to finish the required testing and certification and onboard new hires. Over the following week, we’ll proceed to judge staffing numbers to find out a plan for summer time pool operations,” Lemons mentioned.
The announcement comes sooner or later after the Park District elevated the incentives it’s providing to new lifeguards.
The Park District is providing a $600 signing bonus for brand new lifeguards and a $600 retention bonus for current lifeguards, a rise of $100 over the preliminary bonus introduced final month.
An extra $500 bonus is obtainable for current Park District workers who refer certified candidates to work as lifeguards this summer time.
The Park District can be providing year-round employment standing after the summer time ends
The district is also waiving the Chicago residency requirement, which means candidates not should stay within the metropolis to grow to be lifeguards.
Along with the nationwide lifeguard scarcity, the Park District’s picture additionally has taken a significant hit previously 12 months, within the wake of a scandal involving widespread sexual harassment and abuse of girls and ladies who labored as lifeguards on the district’s seashores and swimming pools.
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