Isle of Man firms urge people to get second jobs as costs rise

A restaurant owner wants to see tax on second jobs cut to boost recruitment

Manx workers have been encouraged to get a second job by the Isle of Man's Chamber of Commerce to top up wages and give the economy a "much needed boost".

The lobby, made up of hundreds of local firms, made the appeal on social media, highlighting "severe" staff shortages in the hospitality and retail sectors.

Restaurant and bar owner Andrew Gibbs said there were currently"not enough bodies to go around" in the industries.

A Treasury spokesman said initiatives to address the shortage were underway.

These include schemes to help the long-term sick back into work, and financial support for businesses taking on new staff, as well as a review to make the work permit and visa system more "cost effective" for employers, he added.

Recruitment issues

More than 170 vacancies in the catering and entertainment sectors were reported to the job centre in September, with retail employers seeking 165 staff.

In a statement, the chamber said a second job would help people "feeling the pinch of rising costs", adding concerns that would "incur excessive tax" were a "misconception".

Personal income tax on the Isle of Man is assessed on a person's total annual income, which can come from multiple jobs.

But Mr Gibbs, who is the director of Jaks and the Barbary Coast, has urged the Treasury to cut tax on second jobs to encourage more people to take up extra work.

He said many former hospitality workers were put off from returning to the sector as the extra income would see them enter a higher tax bracket.

Mr Gibb said the current recruitment issues were unprecedented, adding he had "never seen it like this ever in my life".

Shortages had forced his businesses into partial opening hours and led certain Christmas events to be cancelled, he added.