Worker Shortage to Blame for Supply Chain Issues—When Can We Expect Improvements?

This does not stem from matters abroad, David Dollar, an expert on the global economy with the Brookings Institution, told Newsweek.

"There's a shortage of truck drivers, so you've got basically a supply bottleneck on the U.S.

While age serves as one potential reason for the shortage, Dollar said these industries offer wages that have risen at a "healthy clip." Within the American context, he said supply chain jobs pay well, citing the example of truck drivers who earn slightly more than manufacturers who are generally cited as having a "good job.".

Unfortunately, when it comes to labor participation, Dollar said the issue comes with a number of unknowns.

"The labor force participation rate is a variable that bounces around that I think we don't understand very well," he told Newsweek.

"Some of these supply chains probably won't really have their problems really worked out until 2023," Dollar told Newsweek.