NFIB State Director Rosemary Elebash said addressing Alabama’s ongoing labor shortage and easing the regulatory and tax burdens on small business owners will be NFIB’s top priorities when the Alabama Legislature convenes Tuesday, Jan. 13.

“Finding qualified applicants has become one of the toughest challenges facing local businesses,” Elebash said. “When businesses can’t find enough workers with the right skills and experience, it makes it harder for them to grow and serve the needs of their customers.”

Alabama’s labor force participation rate stood at 57.7 percent in September, well below the national average of 62.4 percent. Elebash said closing that gap is critical if small businesses want access to the workers they need to grow and create jobs.

Today, NFIB released its December jobs report, which showed that small business hiring conditions nationwide remain tight. Thirty-three percent of owners who were surveyed reported unfilled job openings while nearly half say they found few or no qualified applicants. Click here for details.

“We’re fortunate in Alabama to have a legislature that understands the challenges facing the small business community,” Elebash said. “Programs like the Innovation Centers within the Alabama Community College System are teaching the skills employers need, but that’s only a first step. We need to continue building a strong workforce and a new generation of job creators who will drive our state’s economic success.”

During this year’s regular session, NFIB will urge lawmakers to pass measures that strengthen workforce training programs, remove unnecessary regulations and ease the tax burden on employers, she said

“Alabama lawmakers have a real opportunity this session to help small businesses thrive,” Elebash said. “Our members will keep urging their legislators to support commonsense solutions that help small businesses succeed and keep Alabama’s economy moving forward.”