SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Governor Mike Parson announced Missouri will be opting out if the federal COVID-19 unemployment benefits.

Those benefits will be ending in 30 days, June 12.

“To help address this labor shortage, I have directed the Missouri Department of Labor to end participation in all federal pandemic-related unemployment benefits,” said Parson.

With the announcement today, Mexican Villa in Downtown Springfield on National is hoping this will help with finding new employees.

We get people and they’ll stay for a week, get a check and then that’s about it,” said Melissa Lewis, manager of Mexican Villa.

Lewis said she had to work in the kitchen because the restaurant doesn’t have a cook right now.

“About one in every 10 people I call will actually show up for the interview,” said Lewis.

The local restaurant has been in business since the 50’s. To give its current employees a break, Lewis said they are considering shorter hours.

“It’s getting really tough,” said Lewis. “It’s stretching my existing staff out really thin. It’s rough on them, they’re all putting on a brave face and doing the best that they can, but they’ve been working extra shifts and trying to do some teamwork and help each other out as much as possible.”

However, Lewis said they still want to make customers happy.

“They have a certain standard for us that we like to keep up which is very difficult when we don’t have enough staff to do it,” said Lewis.