Last Frontier News

The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) has released its latest Jobs Report, highlighting ongoing challenges faced by small business owners in filling job vacancies. The report provides a national overview and is not broken down by state.

A key concern for small businesses is the potential impact of the Main Street Tax Certainty Act (H.R. 4721, S. 1706). If Congress does not pass this act, which aims to make the 20% Small Business Deduction permanent, it could result in a significant tax increase for 90% of small business owners nationwide.

Bill Dunkelberg, NFIB Chief Economist, commented on the findings: “Job openings on Main Street remain historically high as small business owners continue to lament the lack of qualified applicants for their open positions. Owners have grown understandably frustrated as attempts to fill their workforce repeatedly stall and cost pressures continue to rise.”

The report indicates that 62% of small business owners were hiring or attempting to hire in August, an increase from July. Of those hiring or trying to hire, 56% reported few or no qualified applicants for available positions.

There was an increase in job openings for skilled workers at 36%, while openings for unskilled labor decreased slightly to 15%. The construction sector saw a five-point rise in job openings from July, with over half unable to fill these positions. Job vacancies were most prevalent in transportation, construction, and manufacturing sectors but lowest in agriculture and finance sectors.

Looking ahead, a seasonally adjusted net 13% of owners plan to create new jobs within the next three months, marking a slight decrease from July.

For more information on Alaska's small-business news or updates from NFIB Alaska, visit www.nfib.com/alaska or follow them on Twitter @NFIB_AK.

NFIB continues its advocacy efforts for America's small and independent businesses across all states and Washington D.C., maintaining its focus since its founding in 1943.