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The US added just 266,000 jobs in April, suggesting many unemployed Americans aren’t rushing back to work. Some firms are responding with wage hikes.

Customers ordering food at Chipotle. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

By Dominick Reuter and Ben Winck

Companies are gearing up for a spending rebound as the economy emerges from its year-long lockdown, and that’s going to require a whole lot of hiring.

But the country added just 266,000 jobs in April, kicking a debate about a “labor shortage” up a notch and suggesting that many unemployed Americans aren’t in a rush to return to work under current conditions.

Various businesses have reported difficulties finding workers in recent weeks. Some blame generous unemployment benefits for the shortage, while others suggest jobless Americans are simply looking for safer working conditions before returning to the labor market.

A spike in inflation might also be contributing to the hiring shortfall. Economists expect prices to go up sharply as the country rebounds, which means some companies will start charging more for goods and services. That’s already happened in many cases, as the reopening economy is rife with bottlenecks everywhere from chicken to lumber.