Evergreen Reporter

The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) has released its latest monthly Jobs Report, highlighting ongoing challenges for small businesses in finding employees. According to the report, "finding employees remaining a big problem for Main Street entrepreneurs."

Patrick Connor, state director for NFIB in Washington, commented on the situation: “Washington small businesses are still short-staffed and struggling to find enough workers to return to pre-pandemic ‘normal.’” He also expressed concerns over early state legislative proposals that could exacerbate the situation. These include a $25 minimum wage, a three-week paid vacation mandate, and changes to existing employer exemptions and job protection requirements.

The report serves as a national overview of NFIB-member small-business owners without specific state breakdowns. Typically, an NFIB member employs 10 people with annual gross sales around $500,000. The next Small Business Optimism Index will be released on January 14.

Bill Dunkelberg, NFIB Chief Economist, noted that "finding qualified workers remained a major headwind for stronger job growth on Main Street in December." Despite this challenge, compensation increases have been steady but showed signs of softening by the end of the year.

Key findings from the report indicate that 35% of small business owners reported unfilled job openings in December, slightly down from November. A net 29% reported raising compensation during the same period. Meanwhile, 19% plan to create new jobs in the upcoming months.

Sector-specific data revealed that job openings were most prevalent in transportation, construction, and manufacturing sectors. Conversely, agriculture and finance sectors had fewer vacancies. Notably, construction sector openings decreased significantly compared to previous months and last year.

For further information about Washington state's small-business news or updates from NFIB, visit their website or follow them on social media platforms.