Gulf Shores, AL – Alabama's law targeting illegal immigration took effect last month just as the tourism season was winding down on the Gulf Coast, leaving many employers in the area unsure of exactly what effect the law may have.
Many businesses in the area use immigrant workers, especially for kitchen, cleaning and landscaping work. The new law took effect late last month as those businesses were downsizing their staffs for the offseason.
Bob Higgins with the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance says the main concerns among businesses are figuring out what they need to do to comply with the law and making sure they can find enough workers.
He says many in the tourism industry are in wait-and-see mode, working with offseason staffing levels and wondering what it will be like next spring.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)