Business leaders have a message for Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
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Southern Highlands residents want to apply for jobs and turn up to their shifts.
Mr Morrison claimed this week some people in Australia weren't looking for work because the JobSeeker payment was too high.
The coronavirus supplement currently gives JobSeeker recipients an additional $550 per fortnight.
"We are getting a lot of anecdotal feedback from small businesses, even large businesses," he said.
"Some of them are finding it hard to get people to come and take the shifts because they're on these higher levels of payment."
Southern Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman Steve Horton said he hadn't heard of such occurrences in the Wingecarribee Shire.
"We've not heard anything," Mr Horton said.
"We definitely know there's a shortage in some of the hospitality industry."
Surveyor General Inn has received a large number of applications for recent vacancies.
Bar Manager Caitlin Drane said applications came from people with and without hospitality backgrounds.
"We've had a good response. People are definitely keen to get out and pick up some work," she said.
Ms Drane said her team wanted to work and the social aspect was a big drawcard after the COVID-19 lockdown.
"Half of our staff qualified for JobKeeper. Of those staff members, I haven't had a single one not keen for work," she said.
"For the one who is on JobSeeker and works, it's an extra step having to report [to Centrelink]".
Berrima General Store and Cafe owner Diego Arata said he was in a similar position.
"All the people with us before COVID-19 are still working with us and are more than keen to work for us," Mr Arata said.
Despite difficulties with the lockdown, he said he expected a spike in business during the upcoming school holidays.
The Illawarra Business Chamber estimated in April about 3900 jobs were potentially lost in the Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven regions since February.
This is primarily due to COVID-19 restrictions and their impact on businesses.
Executive director Adam Zarth said this potentially lifted the unemployment rate to 11.4 per cent in the two regions combined, "the highest in the state by some margin".
On Thursday, there were 347 jobs advertised on Seek across the Southern Highlands and Southern Tablelands across all industries.