Kansas small business owners report record levels of job openings
Today NFIB, Kansas’ leading small business advocate, the National Federation of Independent Business, is urging Governor Kelly to follow the lead of other states and end participation in the federal supplemental unemployment benefit 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.
This week, NFIB 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.
“Now is the time to take a look at the best way to reopen Kansas,” sad Dan Murray, NFIB State Director in Kansas. “Here’s the truth: small business owners have taken the brunt of the pain when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many have shut their doors and many others are struggling to survive. What they need right now is the ability to create new jobs and get Kansas’ economy back on track. They can’t do that when Kansans are getting paid more to stay at home than return to work. We need the governor to do what other Midwest states like North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Missouri have done this week: provide Kansas workers with the incentive to get back to work.”
