At Accomac Perdue, "hundreds of jobs" starting at $15 per hour

It is hard to imagine an Eastern Shore employer needing hundreds of workers immediately at an hourly wage that brings in than $31,000 a year.

But that’s exactly the case right now at the Perdue Farms Inc. processing plant in Accomac.

The national shortage of workers, which has hamstrung some Eastern Shore business, is having a profound impact on one of the Eastern Shore’s largest employers.

Diana Souder, a Perdue spokeswoman, said the company has “several hundred openings” at the Accomac plant with a starting pay rate of $15 per hour.

“Amid national labor challenges in our industry and beyond, we have made adjustments in some locations as needed, such as streamlining our product mix, to ensure our facilities can remain operational in a safe manner, and our salary and benefits packages remain competitive as we strive to maintain a workplace where our associates feel valued,” Souder said in a statement.

In addition to the hourly wage, she said Perdue:

— Added daily-pay program “PayActiv” to employee benefits, which allows associates to access 50 percent of their earned income each day, prior to Friday payroll.

— Provides basic medical care via on-site Wellness Centers where associates and their families can receive routine care and medical information from local physicians and nursing staff.