NFIB’s January jobs report found that 35% (seasonally adjusted) of small business owners reported job openings they could not fill in January, unchanged from December. Job openings were the highest in the transportation, construction and manufacturing sectors, and the lowest in the agriculture and finance sectors. Job openings in construction were up four points from last month and down two points from the prior year.
“Small business owners are certainly feeling hopeful about the direction of the economy,” NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg said. “However, employment remains a top concern as Main Street owners continue to face challenges in finding qualified employees to fill their open positions.”
Although state-specific data is unavailable, NFIB State Director Jeff Burdett said, “When qualified applicants are in short supply, it makes it harder for our small business owners to expand their operations and meet their customers’ needs. We will continue to work with lawmakers on sensible policy solutions that will help encourage more Texans to join the workforce.”
