Some companies are turning to signing bonuses to attract workers as they struggle to fill positions.

While most often associated with higher-paying jobs that require secondary education, signing bonuses are increasingly being tied to job applications for low- and middle-wage jobs — a sign that some say is a symptom of a labor shortage. The increased usage comes as some economists argue that supercharged federal unemployment benefits are holding back the labor market, and more than two dozen states have ended, or are planning to end, the payments early.

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