Long Island businesses are hopeful that they will see a line of people seeking jobs as millions of Americans have now lost their safety net.

Eric Levine, one of the owners and the chef of 317 Main Street in Farmingdale, hopes to see more people applying for jobs he has available at the restaurant now that enhanced federal unemployment benefits have expired.

“I see it as an opportunity to one, for the business to save money on the payroll because overtime,” Levine says. “Two, also wear and tear on the staff.”

He says employees have been carrying a heavy load.

Rebecca Sanin, president and CEO of the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island, said on News 12’s The New Normal show that the additional money was something people needed.

“The extra unemployment benefits during the heart of the pandemic were, in some cases, lifesaving for families,” Sanin says. “We know the cost of living on Long Island is exceptionally high and these are issues that we really need to tackle.”

Business owners tell News 12 they are optimistic that this is going to bring a lot of people back to work.

Some say they have already seen in uptick in online resumes, but Levine says he put a post up about jobs Sunday and haven’t seen any responses.