FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ronda Wiggers, State Director, rondakwiggers@gmail.com
or Tony Malandra, Senior Media Manager, anthony.malandra@nfib.org

HELENA, Mont., Jan. 8, 2026—From NFIB Montana State Director Ronda Wiggers on today’s release of the monthly Jobs Report from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), which found that 33% (seasonally adjusted) of small business owners reported job openings they could not fill in December, unchanged from November. Unfilled job openings remain above the historical average of 24%.

“With our Legislature off for the year, this will be a good time to delve into issues, such as property taxes, to present to lawmakers some well-thought-out ideas upon their return in 2017. Some of the issues will not directly deal with the hiring difficulties found in our latest Jobs Report, but when making decisions on whether or not to hire, or whether or not to even remain in business, employers take everything into consideration and make a judgment based on the whole, not just in parts. In the meantime, Montana small businesses will work with our congressional delegation to pass our nine legislative priorities we have for the U.S. Senate and U.S. House.”

NFIB’s Jobs Report is a national survey of NFIB-member small-business owners, not broken down by state. The December survey, through 12/31/2025, is based on a random sample of 429 respondents of NFIB’s member firms.

From NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg

“The economic climate continues to support the small business labor market. Although employment conditions vary, fewer owners report labor as their biggest challenge while compensation pressures are escalating.”

Highlights from the Latest NFIB Jobs Report

• Overall, 53% of owners reported hiring or trying to hire in December, down 3 points from November.
• In December, 19% of small business owners cited labor quality as their single most important problem, down 2 points from November.
• Seasonally adjusted, a net 31% of small business owners reported raising compensation in December, up 5 points from November. A net 24% (seasonally adjusted) plan to raise compensation in the next three months, unchanged from November.

Keep up with the latest Montana small business news at www.nfib.com or by following us on X at @NFIB_MT.

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For over 80 years, NFIB has been advocating on behalf of America’s small and independent business owners, both in Washington, D.C., and in all 50 state capitals. NFIB is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, and member-driven association. Since our founding in 1943, NFIB has been exclusively dedicated to small and independent businesses and remains so today. For more information, please visit nfib.com.

NFIB Montana
406-899-9659
rondakwiggers@gmail.com
NFIB.com
X: @NFIB_MT