INDIANAPOLIS – Monday NFIB, Indiana’s leading small business advocate, the National Federation of Independent Business, is thanking Governor Holcomb for listening to small business owners and ending participation in the federal supplemental unemployment benefits program.
The federal money provides an additional $300 a week in benefits through September. It’s a program that is hurting our small business owners across the state as they face a record level of open jobs that they can’t find qualified workers to fill.
NFIB recently released their new jobs report that shows a record 44% of small business owners report having job openings they could not fill, 22 points higher than the 48-year historical average, and two points higher than the 42% figure from March. April is the third consecutive month with a record-high reading of unfilled job openings among small businesses.
“Small business owners are pleased that the Governor has heard what they have been saying for months,” said Barbara Quandt, NFIB Senior State Director. “ We just completed a survey of Hoosier small business owners and nearly 40 percent said that enhanced unemployment benefits are discouraging people in Indiana from returning to work. Small business owners can’t find people to hire because they are making more money sitting on the sidelines, thanks to the federal unemployment benefits. Our small business owners want to re-open and they want to grow the economy. However, they can’t do that if they can’t hire Hoosiers and create jobs. Today’s actions by the governor will help our economy get back on track as we recover from the pandemic.”
