SALEM — The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Job Report for September shows that 32% (seasonally adjusted) of small business owners reported job openings they could not fill in September, unchanged from August.
The last time unfilled job openings fell below 32% was in July 2020.
“Main Street job openings remain above their historical average, with owners reporting few qualified applicants. … small business owners continue to experience economic uncertainty as many owners continue to grapple with labor imbalances.”
Highlights from the Latest NFIB Jobs Report:
- 29% of owners reported few qualified applicants for their open positions and 21% reported none.
- A seasonally adjusted net 16% of owners plan to create new jobs in the next three months, up 1 point from August and the fourth consecutive monthly increase.
- Hiring plans are at their highest level since January.
Seasonally adjusted, a net 31% of small business owners reported raising compensation in September, up 2 points from August. - A net 19% (seasonally adjusted) plan to raise compensation in the next three months, down 1 point from August.
