Labor professor interviewed on Business Insider

(SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY — JULY 3, 2024) Jason Russell, a history and labor studies professor at Empire State University, was interviewed for Business Insider in an article about the growing lifeguard shortage impacting communities and pools across the United States.

The article, titled “Where did all the lifeguards go?” discusses the drastic shortage of available, working lifeguards and reduced pool access limiting communities nationwide. Russell spoke about the perception of being a lifeguard and how its stereotype as a juvenile profession contributes to staffing challenges. He also touched on the differentiation of reality from cultural portrayals like “Baywatch.”

Russell told Business Insider more needs to be done to incentivize lifeguards, which will in turn boost the number of children involved in swimming lessons and availability for public and community swimming spots.

“As a labor academic, I tend to think that paying more money helps. Employers lament, ‘Nobody wants to work,’ but there is a solution: pay more money,” Russell said in the interview.