>> Braude: TONIGHT ON "GREATER BOSTON": ACTING MAYOR OF BOSTON KIM JANEY JOINS ME ON COVID RESTRICTIONS, POLICE REFORM, AND SOME SUPPORTERS ASKING THE OTHER BLACK WOMAN IN THE RACE TO DROP OUT.

THEN, LATER, TWO LOCAL RESTAURATEURS, SWEET CHEEKS AND TIGER MAMA'S TIFANNI FAISON AND PURITAN & COMPANY'S WILL GILSON, ON THE NEW CHALLENGE THEIR BUSINESSES ARE FACING AS COVID RESTRICTIONS ROLL BACK: A SHORTAGE OF WORKERS TO HELP MEET THE DEMAND.

>>> IT'S BEEN LESS THAN TWO MONTHS SINCE KIM JANEY TOOK OVER AS THE ACTING MAYOR OF BOSTON, BECOMING THE FIRST WOMAN AND THE FIRST PERSON OF COLOR ON THE JOB, AND IT'S BEEN JUST OVER ONE MONTH SINCE SHE ANNOUNCED SHE'S RUNNING FOR A FULL TERM IN THE MAYORAL ELECTION THIS FALL.

BUT, ALREADY, JANEY HAS HAD TO CONTEND WITH A LOT, FROM AN INVESTIGATION INTO DENNIS WHITE, THE POLICE COMMISSIONER WHO WAS PUT ON LEAVE OVER A DECADES-OLD DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ALLEGATION, AND A SCANDAL OVER WHO KNEW WHAT, WHEN ABOUT THE CHILD MOLESTATION ALLEGATIONS AGAINST A FORMER POLICE UNION PRESIDENT, TO HOW AND WHEN TO ROLL BACK COVID RESTRICTIONS IN THE CITY, WHICH IS NOW THREE WEEKS BEHIND THE STATEWIDE REOPENING.

TO DISCUSS ALL OF THIS AND MORE, MAYOR KIM JANEY JOINS ME NOW.

>> Braude: MAYOR, THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

>> Mayor: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU.

>> Braude: IT HAS BEEN MONTHS SINCE WE HAD A PERMANENT POLICE COMMISSIONER IN THIS CITY.

DENNIS WHITE WAS SUSPENDED OR PUT ON LEAVE BY MAYOR WALSH TWO DAYS AFTER HE APPOINTED HIM.

LATE IN APRIL, YOU RECEIVED AN INVESTIGATION REPORT ON THIS MATTER, SAID WE'D HAVE A DECISION SOON.

SOON SEEMS TO HAVE COME AND GONE.

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

>> Mayor: WELL, WE CERTAINLY HOPE THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN THIS WEEK, IN TERMS OF AN ANNOUNCEMENT, AND OBVIOUSLY CAN'T ALLOW YOU TO SCOOP OTHER STORIES, SO YOU WILL HAVE TO WAIT, ALONG WITH OTHER FOLKS.

BUT WE DO HOPE TO CONCLUDE THIS BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.

>> Braude: HAVE YOU MADE A DECISION?

>> Mayor: WELL, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON WHERE THINGS ARE THIS WEEK, AT THE END OF THIS WEEK.

>> Braude: SPEAKING OF POLICE, PATRICK ROSE, SR., THE COP I MENTIONED WHO ROSE TO BECOME THE HEAD OF THE UNION HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY ACCUSED OF SERIAL CHILD MOLESTATION.

YOU RELEASED PART OF HIS INTERNAL AFFAIRS REPORT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I THINK IT WAS ROUGHLY 13 PAGES OUT OF 105.

THAT MEANS 90% OF THAT REPORT ALMOST, MAYOR, WILL NEVER BE SEEN BY THE PUBLIC.

YOU ARGUED, I BELIEVED, IT WAS TO PROTECT THE PRIVACY OF THE VICTIMS.

IS THAT THE PERMANENT STATE OF AFFAIRS?

WILL THE PUBLIC NEVER SEE THE OTHER 92 PAGES HERE?

>> Mayor: WHAT I WOULD SAY IS IN MY FIRST FEW WEEKS AS MAYOR, I HAVE DONE MORE TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY THAN WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN A NUMBER OF YEARS, WHEN IT COMES TO POLICE OR OTHER ISSUES.

IN TERMS OF THIS FILE, WHAT IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO ME IS THAT WE PROTECT THE IDENTITIES OF THE VICTIMS WHO ARE NOW SURVIVORS OF THIS CASE.

IT IS A HORRIFIC CASE.

THE FACT THAT A POLICE OFFICER WOULD BE ACCUSED OF SUCH THINGS, THAT THOSE ACCUSATIONS WOULD BE SUSTAINED, AND THAT THIS OFFICER WOULD STAY ON THE FORCE IS OUTRAGEOUS AND INDEFENSIBLE.

IN TERMS OF PROTECTING THE IDENTITIES, WE ALSO ARE PROTECTING THE DETAILS OF THAT ABUSE, AND CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING TO RETRAUMATIC TIES RETRAUMATIZE SURVIVORS OR DETER OTHER VICTIMS FROM COMING FORWARD.

WHAT IS AT THE HEART OF THE MATTER, IS TO ENSURE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED AND HOW THIS WAS HANDLED BY THE POLICE.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO GET AT THE ROOT CAUSE OF SO THAT THIS NEVER, EVER HAPPENS AGAIN.

SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE FOCUSED ON IN RELEASING THE FILES.

WHAT HAPPENED, IN TERMS OF HOW THIS WAS HANDLED BY THE POLICE, NOT A FOCUS ON THE DETAILS OF THE ABUSE AND RETRAUMATIZNG VICTIMS OR DETERRING OTHER VICTIMS FROM COMING FORWARD.

>> Braude: TWO THINGS: ONE, HAVE YOU READ THE WHOLE 105-PAGE REPORT.

>> Mayor: I HAVE BEEN BRIEFED BY MY TEAM, AND IT WAS PRETTY BAD.

>> Braude: SO YOU HAVEN'T READ THE WHOLE THING?

>> Mayor: NO.

I'VE BEEN BRIEFED BY MY TEAM.

>> Braude: HIS CHARGE IN A CRIMINAL MATTER, FACTS ARE GOING TO COME OUT.

I TOTALLY RESPECT THE NOTION OF PROTECTING THE DEPARTMENTTITIES OF THE IDENTITIES OF THE SURVIVORS, BUT YOU'RE VIEW IS THAT THE PUBLIC IS NOT ENTITLED TO SEE THE DETAILS OF THE POTENTIAL CRIMES?

>> Mayor: MY VIEW IS THAT SURVIVORS SHOULD BE PROTECTED.

MY VIEW IS THEY SHOULD NOT BE RETRAUMATIZED.

MY VIEW IS WE SHOULD NOT DO ANYTHING THAT WOULD DETER OTHER VICTIMS OF ABUSE FROM COMING FORWARD.

>> Braude: LET'S MOVE ON TO COVID, IF WE CAN.

EARLIER TODAY I BELIEVE YOU SAID AT A PRESS CONFERENCE, THAT YOUR CONTEMPLATING SPEEDING UP THE REOPENING.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A RELATED MATTER.

MORA HEALEY, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, SAID SHE BELIEVED THAT ALL SPACING, PUBLIC ENCOUNTERING, PUBLIC EMPLOYEES, SHOULD BE MANDATED TO BE VACCINATED.

THE GOVERNOR DOESN'T AGREE WITH THAT.

YOU AGREE WITH THE GOVERNOR.

WHY SHOULDN'T THEY BE MANDATED TO HAVE A VACCINE IF THEY FACE THE PUBLIC?

>> Mayor: YOU KNOW, MY APPROACH HAS BEEN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET INFORMATION OUT, NOT ONLY TO CITY EMPLOYEES, BUT TO ALL RESIDENTS, SO THEY CAN MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS, THAT WE'RE GETTING INFORMATION OUT FROM TRUSTED SOURCES, THAT WE ARE PUTTING OURSELVES IN A POSITION TO TRUST THE SCIENCE AND MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS, AS WELL AS MAKING SURE THAT THE VACCINE IS ACCESSIBLE.

I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE IN BOSTON IN TERMS OF MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE.

WE ARE SEEING, YOU KNOW, RECORD NUMBERS, ALMOST, IN TERMS OF THE DECREASE.

OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS, WE'VE SEEN CASES DROP BY ALMOST 40%, AND OUR POSITIVITY RATE IS THE LOWEST THAT IT HAS BEEN IN MONTHS.

AND SO WE ARE WELL-POSITIONED TO LOOK AT LOOSENING ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS IN TERMS OF OUR TIMELINES, AS IT COMPARES TO THE STATE.

OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO -- WE CAN'T GO BEYOND WHAT THE STATE IS DOING.

BUT I'M GLAD AND VERY PROUD THAT WE ARE SEEING OUR NUMBERS TREND IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

AND SO I HAVE ASKED, YOU KNOW, MY CHIEF OF PUBLIC HEALTH, AS WELL AS MY CHIEF OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, TO LOOK AT LOOSENING SOME OF THE RESTRICTIONS.

I WILL ALWAYS MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE INFORMED BY THE DATA AND DO WHAT IS BEST TO PROTECT THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON, AS WELL AS PROMOTE OUR BUSINESSES.

>> Braude: BUT DO YOU THINK, AS TO THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON, AN UNVACCINATED PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PROVIDING A SERVICE PUTS THAT RESIDENT AT A GREATER RISK, DOES HE OR SHE NOT?

>> Mayor: I WANT EVERYONE TO GET THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED, AND HOPEFULLY CHOOSE TO GET VACCINATED.

AND I'M GOING TO DO EVERYTHING AS MAYOR TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE VACCINE AND CONFIDENCE IN THE VACCINE.

WE LAUNCHED THE HOPE CAMPAIGN AS A WAY OF GIVING PEOPLE CONFIDENCE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.

IN TERMS OF MANDATES, I THINK WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS MAKE SURE THERE IS THE RIGHT INFORMATION AND THE ACCESS TO THE VACCINE.

AND THAT'S ACROSS THE BOARD, NOT JUST CITY EMPLOYEES, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, OUR RESIDENTS IN GENERAL IN THIS CITY.

>> Braude: SPEAKING OF RESIDENTS, I KNOW YOU KNOW TODAY -- WELL, IN THE LAST 24HOURS, PFIZER HAS GOTTEN APPROVAL TO VACCINATE 12 TO 15-YEAR-OLDS, WHICH IS RAISING THE QUESTION: SHOULD KID BE REQUIRED TO BE VACCINATED THEMSELVES BEFORE THEY RETURN TO SCHOOL IN THE FALL.

SHOULD THEY BE?

>> Mayor: AGAIN, PARENTS WILL MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT THEY THINK ARE BEST FOR THEIR CHILDREN.

AND WHAT I WILL DO AS MAYOR IS MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION SO THAT TEA THEY CAN MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS AND GET ACCESS TO THE VACCINE, SHOULD THEY CHOOSE.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SEEN, WITH OUR POPULATION OF 16 TO 64, THAT AT LEAST 61% OF BOSTON RESIDENTS HAVE RECEIVED ONE SHOT.

THAT NUMBER DOES DECREASE AS YOU GO YOUNGER INTO THE POPULATION.

PEOPLE FEEL THEY'RE INVINCIBLE, THAT THIS DOESN'T IMPACT THEM THE SAME WAY.

BUT THE TRUTH IS, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THAT THE MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE VACCINATED, THE BETTER OFF WE ALL ARE.

SO I WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VACCINE IS NOT ONLY ACCESSIBLE, BUT THAT WE ARE FOCUSING ON HARDEST HIT COMMUNITIES AND DISTRIBUTING THE VACCINE IN A MANNER THAT IS EQUITY.

>> Braude: I THINK MOST PEOPLE WITH WHOM I SPEAK, I INCLUDE MYSELF, SAY THE MAYORAL FIELD IS A PRETTY IMPRESSIVE ONE, TO SAY THE LEAST.

YOUR OBVIOUSLY PART OF THAT.

YOU KNOW THAT RICHARD TAYLOR, A FORMER WELD CABINET MEMBER, SENT AN E-MAIL TO SOME SUPPORTERS OF ANDREA CAMPBELL, WHO OBVIOUSLY IS RUNNING FOR MAYOR, URGING HER TO DROP OUT AND RUN FOR SUFFOLK MAYOR.

HER CAMPAIGN -- YOUR CAMPAIGN MANAGER SAID THAT THAT E-MAIL DOES NOT REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THIS CAMPAIGN, MEANING THAT SHE SHOULD DROP OUT.

WHEN COUNCILOR CAMPBELL WAS HERE LAST WEEK, SHE SAID SHE WONDERED WHY YOU HADN'T RESPONDED DIRECTLY TO THIS OVERTURE FROM TAYLOR.

>> Mayor: I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT SUPPORT PUSHING ANYONE OUT OF THE RACE.

THAT DOES NOT REFLECT MY VIEW OR MY VALUES.

I'M, IN FACT, ANNOYED BY THE NOTION THAT ANYONE WOULD BE ASKED TO NOT DO WHAT THEY THINK IS BEST FOR THEM.

I WAS ANNOYED WHEN THIS HAPPENED IN 2013 AND CONTINUE TO BE OFFENDED BY THE NOTION THAT YOU COULD NOT HAVE A TALENTED FIELD OF LOTS OF PEOPLE OF COLOR RUNNING.

AS WE SAW IN THE D.A.

'S RACE A COUPLE YEARS BACK.

AND SO I THINK ANYONE WHO WANTS TO RUN SHOULD DO SO AND LET THE VOTERS DECIDE.

>> Braude: SO, WE ONLY HAVE LESS THAN A MINUTE LEFT.

YOU'VE BEEN IN THAT CHAIR FOR, WHAT, 50 DAYS, GIVE OR TAKE -- >> Mayor: JUST UNDER 50 DAYS.

SEVEN AND A HALF WEEKS.

>> Braude: THAT WAS A GOOD GUESS ON MY PART.

WHAT'S THE ONE CHALLENGE THAT YOU'VE ENCOUNTERED THAT YOU LEAST EXPECTED WHEN YOU TOOK OVER?

>> Mayor: JUST ONE?

>> Braude: ONE FOR STARTERS.

WE'LL CONTINUE MORE NEXT TIME.

>> Mayor: WE'RE IN A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.

YOU KNOW, THERE IS STILL STRUCTURAL RACISM THAT IS PERSISTENT.

I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE IS ANY ONE CHALLENGE TO POINT TO.

BUT I WOULD SAY, IN TERMS OF SURPRISES, I THINK IT HAS BEEN WONDERFUL TO SEE THE WAY THAT PEOPLE CARE ABOUT OUR CITY.

CERTAINLY THERE HAS BEEN AN OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT AND APPRECIATION FOR ME IN THIS ROLE AS THE FIRST WOMAN, AS THE FIRST BLACK MAYOR OF OUR CITY IN ALMOST 200 YEARS.

AND I THINK THERE IS A CONTINUED DESIRE TO WORK TOGETHER TO TACKLE THESE TOUGH CHALLENGES TOGETHER.

AND THAT IS WHAT I WILL CONTINUE TO DO AS MAYOR, SEEKING TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO WORK ON THESE ISSUES TOGETHER, AS A CITY.

>> Braude: MAYOR KIM JANEY, GOOD TO SEE YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

>> Mayor: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

TAKE CARE.

>> Braude: THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION IS NOW APPROVING AND DISTRIBUTING GRANTS TO RESTAURANTS AND OTHER FOOD BUSINESSES, FROM NEARLY $29 BILLION SET ASIDE IN THE MARCH PANDEMIC RELIEF PACKAGE.

BUT AS CAPACITY LIMITS ARE PHASED OUT AND MORE AND MORE COSTUMERS FLOOD IN, AFTER A YEAR OF COVID RESTRICTIONS, AND CAPACITY RESTRICTIONS ROLL BACK, RESTAURANTS ARE FACING ANOTHER MAJOR OBSTACLE: STAFFING.

WHILE HIRING HAS RISEN STEADILY OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, IT'S STILL LAGGING BEHIND PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS, AND BUSINESS OWNERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY SAY THEY JUST CAN'T SEEM TO FIND ENOUGH WORKERS TO MEET THE NEW DEMAND.

>> WE'RE PUTTING OUT THE AD, AND WE'RE GETTING THREE OR FOUR RESPONSES, AND THEN WE CALL THEM TO COME IN FOR AN INTERVIEW, AND THEY DON'T EVEN SHOW UP FOR INTERVIEWS.

HOW HARD IS IT TO FIND PEOPLE TO WORK?

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.

IT'S ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE.

NOBODY WANTS TO COME BACK TO WORK.

>> Braude: RESTAURATEURS ARE HAVING TROUBLE FINDING STAFF THESE DAYS, TOO, INCLUDING WILL GILSON, OF PURITAN & COMPANY, THE LEXINGTON, CAFE BEATRICE, AND GEPETTO, ALL IN CAMBRIDGE.

AND BESSIE KING, WHO RUNS VILLA MEXICO CAFE IN BOSTON WITH HER MOM, JULIE KING.

>> Braude: BESSIE AND WILL, IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU BOTH.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING US.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING US, JIM.

>> Braude: BESSIE, THE MASS ASSOCIATION SAID A QUARTER OF THE RESTAURANTS IN THE STATE FOLDED FOR GOOD IN THE LAST 14 MONTHS.

WHY WERE YOU ABLE TO SURVIVE, DO YOU THINK?

>> HONESTLY, BECAUSE WE HUSTLED.

ANY RESTAURANT THAT IS ALIVE RIGHT NOW IS BASED ON HUSTLE.

WHETHER WE CREATED TAKEOUT SPECIALS OR WE SOLD OUR FOOD IN PACKAGES.

FOR US, WE SHIPPED NATIONWIDE, GETTING TO ALMOST EVERY STATE AND OFFERING, YOU KNOW, EVEN BETTER PRICES THAN USUAL.

IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF HUSTLING AND SINCERELY ASKING FOR DONATIONS.

WE MADE IT VERY CLEAR TO COSTUMERS IF THEY WANTED US AROUND, WE NEEDED THEIR FUNDS.

>> Braude: AND BEST SALSA.

I MIGHT ADD.

WILL, YOU DIDN'T JUST SURVIVE, BUT YOU EXPANDPED IN THE MIDDLEEXPANDEDIN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC.

>> WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE AN OPTION.

WE HAD ALREADY STARTED IT.

WE WERE SUPPOSED TO OPEN IN JUNE, AND THE CONSTRUCTION MORATORIUM PUSHED US TO OCTOBER, BUT AT THAT POINT WE WERE REALLY ALL IN.

WE HAD A REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR DEVELOPERS AND LANDLORD.

ONCE WE WERE ALREADY IN -- I'M NOT GOING TO LIE, IT IS HONESTLY THE HARDEST THING I HAD TO DO IN MY LIFE WAS THE PAST YEAR, AND ESPECIALLY THE PAST SIX MONTHS OF OPENING MULTIPLE CONCEPTS, A HUGE SQUARE FOOTAGE PLACE.

IT WAS AWFUL, SLEEPLESS NEATS,NIGHTS, AND YOU IT FELT LIKE YOU WOULD PUSHING A ROCK UP THE HILL AND IT WAS ROLLING OVER YOU DAY AFTER DAY.

AND I THINK THE ONLY THING THAT KEPT ME GOING WAS THE STAFF, AND I KNEW I HAD TO WAKE UP EVERY DAY AND PUSH THAT BOLDER OFF MY CHEST AND MAKE SURE THEY HAD A JOB TO COME BACK TO.

>> Braude: BESSIE, IS STAFFING THE BIGGEST PROBLEM YOU'RE FACING COMING OUT THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS THING?

>> HONESTLY, YES.

THE REASON WHY WE DIDN'T CLOSE AND THE REASON WHY WE CHOSE TO STAY OPEN IS FOR OUR PEOPLE.

WE KNEW THEY NEEDED THE MONEY, AND THEY WERE LET GO OF THEIR NIGHTTIME JOBS IMMEDIATELY.

AND WE'RE LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF A FINANCIAL DISTRICT.

SO PEOPLE NOT RETURNING TO THE OFFICES HAS MADE IT TWICE AS HARD FOR US TO SURVIVE.

AND NOW IT IS ALMOST LIKE A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD.

WE STAYED OPEN FOR THEM, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEY DIDN'T RETURN TO WORK.

AND WE CAN'T OFFER MORE HOURS BECAUSE WE'RE SHORT STAFFED.

WE JUST HAD CINCO DE MAYO, AND I HAD THREE PEOPLE AND ME WORKING.

IT WAS AWFUL.

I LOVE OUR COSTUMERS.

WE HAVE THE MOST SUPPORT OF THE CITY.

IT IS INCREDIBLE HOW MUCH THEY HAVE HELPED US FOR 20 YEARS IN BUSINESS, BUT IT WAS ONE OF THE HARDEST DAYS IN OUR ENTIRE HISTORY BECAUSE WE WERE SHORT-STAFFED, AND WE WERE UNABLE TO SERVE OUR COSTUMERS THE WAY THEY DESERVE.

>> Braude: WILL, YOU WERE IN BOSTON MAGAZINE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING I HADN'T THOUGHT MUCH ABOUT, SORT OF THE WORK/LIFE BALANCE, THAT SOME PEOPLE DISCOVERED MAYBE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER WHEN SORT OF SHUT IN AT HOME.

FLESH THAT OUT -- GOOD NEWS FOR THEM, ARGUABLY BAD NEWS FOR YOU.

HOW DOES THAT PLAY OUT?

>> LET'S MAKE ONE THING CLEAR: ALL OF THIS WAS HERE BEFORE COVID.

WE WERE WRESTLING WITH THIS IN THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE AND BOSTON BEFORE ALL OF THIS.

NATIONWIDE EVERYBODY WAS TROUBLING TO STAY STAFFED UP, BUT THIS MADE IT WORSE.

BUT I THINK IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT PEOPLE HAD THE ABILITY TO STOP AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT LIFE WOULD BE LIKE IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO BE STUCK WORKING A JOB JUST TO MAKE ENDS MEET.

MAYBE THREE WEEKS AGO, WHEN WE WERE REALLY BASHING OUR HEADS AGAINST THE WALL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SOLVE THE STAFFING ISSUE, I STARTED PUTTING UP SOCIAL MESSAGES, COME BY AND GRAB A CUP OF COFFEE AND TELL ME WHY YOU MAY NOT WANT TO COME BACK TO WORK.

THE NUMBER ONE THING WAS WORK/LIFE BALANCE.

SOMEONE SAID, I HAVE A 3-YEAR-OLD, AND I'M ABLE TO PUT THEM THROUGH SUBSIDIZED DAYCARE BECAUSE MY PAY DROPPED.

THAT IS A REAL STRUGGLE WE HAVE TO WRESTLE WITH IN THIS COUNTRY.

I'M PAYING 25% MORE NOW, STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC, THAN I WAS BEFORE IT.

>> Braude: WILL, AS YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN GOING TO PURITAN & COMPANY FOREVER.

AND IT IS A PRETTY CREATIVE PLACE.

IT IS HARDER TO BE CREATIVE IN YOUR WORK -- AND I'M GOING TO ASK YOU THIS, BESSIE, TOO -- WHEN YOU'RE SO FOCUSED ON EXISTING?

DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

>> I THINK GOING BACK TO WHAT WE SAID BEFORE, IT IS ABOUT THE TEAM.

IT IS ABOUT EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO IS INVOLVED IN IT.

I WATCHED THE TEAM OF PEOPLE WORKING FOR ME FIGURE OUT WAYS TO CREATE PERSONALIZED MESSAGES TO SEND HOME WITH PEOPLE'S TASTING MESSAGES THAT THEY WERE GETTING AT HOME.

THAT WASN'T AN IDEA I GAVE THEM.

IT WAS EVERYBODY ON THE TEAM SAYING, LET'S FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO WHAT WE DO IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT A WAY TO BE RIDDLED WITH HOSPITALITY FOR THE FOLKS WHO AREN'T ABLE TO COME OUT HERE.

TAKEOUT BUSINESS ISN'T GOING TO GO ANYWHERE.

IF YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO STOP TAKEOUT, YOU'RE IN FOR A WILD SURPRISE -- >> Braude: DID YOU JUST SAY "RIDDLED WITH HOSPITALITY?"

>> YES.

>> Braude: I LOVE THAT PHRASE.

HOW ABOUT YOU AND YOUR MOTHER, IS IT HARDER TO BE CREATIVE AND BRANCH OUT IN NEW DIRECTIONS WHEN YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT CAN YOU OPEN THE DOOR THE NEXT DAY?

>> YOU KNOW, IT HAS BEEN A TEST OF LOYALTY TO THE BUSINESS IN A WAY.

WE HAVE ALSO BEEN HAVING TO DEAL WITH VERY SAD PERSONAL FAMILY MATTERS, WITH THE DEATH OF A CLOSE LOVED ONE.

>> Braude: I'M SORRY TO HEAR THAT.

>> THANK YOU.

SO IT JUST PUTS IN MORE OF A WORK/LIFE BALANCE, RIGHT?

WHAT ARE WE DOING THIS FOR?

IT TESTS YOUR COMMITMENT TO YOUR RESTAURANT.

IF -- AGAIN, IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE TEAM, IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE COSTUMERS, WE REALLY WOULD NOT STILL BE GOING.

BUT I THINK -- AND I JUST WANT TO ADD, NOT JUST THAT EMPLOYEES ARE GETTING THEIR PAYCHECKS.

I HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT DON'T GET ANY BENEFITS, BUT THE ISSUE OF SERVICES, THE CARE TAKING ASPECTS HUGE.

AND I HAVE MOTHERS WHO CAN'T COME BACK TO WORK BECAUSE THERE ARE NO SERVICES FOR THEM, THAT WITH THEIR STATUS MAY OR MAY NOT ALLOW THEM TO GET THOSE PAYCHECKS FROM UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, AND IT DOESN'T ALLOW THEM TO GET ANY SERVICES OF CHILD CARE.

SO IT IS A REALLY TOUGH SITUATION.

IT IS NOT JUST THE BIG RESTAURANTS.

ALL OF THE LITTLE ONES ARE FEELING IT, TOO.

>> Braude: I ONLY HAVE 15 SECONDS FOR EACH OF YOU, BUT STARTING WITH YOU, BESSIE, DO YOU ENVISION A TIME IN THE FUTURE WHEN YOU RETURN TO THE EVERYDAY MUNDANE PROBLEMS YOU ENCOUNTERED, AS OPPOSED TO EXISTENTIAL ONES?

DO YOU SEE THAT PLACE?

>> I HOPE SO, YES.

I THINK THAT REALISTICALLY, IT IS GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER YEAR, IF NOT TWO YEARS, FOR US TO GET TO THAT SWEET SPOT.

IN THE MEANTIME, WE REALLY NEED OUR GOVERNMENT TO STEP UP AND CREATE RESOURCES FOR US TO CONTINUE SURVIVING.

>> Braude: HOW ABOUT YOU, WILL?

>> YEAH, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PART OF MY DAY WHEN THE HARDEST PART OF THE DAY IS SOMEBODY NOT LIKING THEIR ENTREE, AND NOT KEEPING EVERYBODY SAFE.

I THINK BESSIE IS RIGHT, WE'VE GOT A LONG ROAD AHEAD.

>> Braude: I HOPE YOU BOTH STAY RIDDLED WITH HOSPITALITY.

BESSIE, SAY HI TO YOUR MOM.

GOOD TO SEE YOU BOTH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, JIM.

>> Braude: AND, FINALLY TONIGHT, A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN SENDING IN DURING THESE PANDEMIC TIMES.

JONATHAN SAYS HE WAS FINALLY ABLE TO VISIT HIS GIRLFRIEND IN PERSON, SEATED SAFELY OUTSIDE, AND NOTED THAT: "KINDNESS MAKES THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE."

INDEED, JONATHAN.

AND KATHY TOLD US SHE TOOK THIS PHOTO OF HUMMINGBIRDS AT HER KITCHEN WINDOW.

SHE SAYS, "TO ME, ESPECIALLY THIS YEAR, THEIR ARRIVAL IS A SYMBOL OF CONTINUING RENEWAL AND HOPE."

I COULDN'T AGREE MORE.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR SHARING.

IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE TO SEND TO US, PLEASE USE THE ADDRESSES ON YOUR SCREEN.

THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT, BUT COME BACK TOMORROW.

I'LL TALK TO "THE BOSTON GLOBE'S" SHIRLEY LEUNG AND BOB POZEN, A LECTURER AT M.I.T.

's SLOAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT, ON HOW C.E.O.

PAY SURGED IN NEW ENGLAND LAST YEAR, WHILE REVENUE SANK, AND MOST WORKERS SUFFERED.

PLUS, PATRICK RADDEN KEEFE ON HIS NEW BOOK ABOUT THE MAKERS OF OXYCONTIN, "EMPIRE OF PAIN: THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE SACKLER DYNASTY."

THAT AND MORE, TOMORROW AT 7:00.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

STAY SAFE AND STAY TUNED NEXT FOR THE SECOND PART OF A REPORT FROM GBH'S CENTER FOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING THAT WE FIRST BROUGHT YOU A FEW WEEKS BACK.

IT'S CALLED "UNSEEN: THE BOY VICTIMS OF THE SEX TRADE."

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org ♪♪