NFIB California State Director John Kabateck commented on the latest monthly Jobs Report from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), which indicated that 32% of small business owners nationwide reported having job openings they could not fill in September. This figure is unchanged from August, and the last time unfilled job openings dropped below this level was July 2020.
Kabateck noted recent legislative developments in California as attention turns to the governor’s deadline for signing or vetoing bills by October 12. He stated, “This week and next, all eyes are on the governor’s office leading up to his October 12 deadline to sign or veto bills. It was disappointing to see him sign Assembly Bill 288 (McKinnor) into law, which seeks to enforce workers’ collective bargaining rights for certain private sector employees when the federal National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) fails to act in a ‘timely manner,’ thereby usurping federal authority. The legality of this is almost certain to be challenged. On the other hand, his signing of Senate Bill 72 (Caballero), updating our state’s water policies, is a step in the right direction.”
The NFIB Jobs Report is based on a national survey of its members—typically businesses with one to nine employees and annual gross sales around $500,000. The data is not broken down by state.
Bill Dunkelberg, Chief Economist at NFIB, said: “Main Street job openings remain above their historical average, with owners reporting few qualified applicants. While a recession appears unlikely, small business owners continue to experience economic uncertainty as many owners continue to grapple with labor imbalances.”
Key findings from the report show that 29% of owners cited few qualified applicants for open positions while 21% reported none at all. A seasonally adjusted net 16% plan to create new jobs over the next three months—a slight increase from August and marking four consecutive months of rising hiring plans. Hiring intentions are now at their highest since January.
Additionally, a net 31% of small business owners reported raising compensation in September—an increase compared to August—and a net 19% plan further raises in compensation over the next three months.
NFIB has represented America’s small and independent business owners for more than eight decades through advocacy efforts at both state and federal levels. More information about NFIB can be found at https://www.nfib.com/.
