STATE:

Why NFIB

Take Action

Get Support

Stay Informed

Podcast Podcast

Careers Careers

Join Now

Home / News / Press Release /

NFIB Jobs Report: Small Business Job Openings Rise in April

May 2, 2024

NFIB Jobs Report: Small Business Job Openings Rise in April

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 2, 2024) – According to NFIB’s monthly jobs report, 40% (seasonally adjusted) of all owners reported jobs openings they could not fill in the current period, up three points from March, which was the lowest reading since January 2021. The percent of small business owners reporting labor cost as their top small business operating problem increased one point from March to 11%, only two points below the highest reading of 13 percent reached in December 2021. “Hiring plans among small businesses increased once again in April, but open positions remain largely unfilled as owners struggle month after month to find employees.” said NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg. “Overall, small businesses are not reporting net gains in employment as wage pressures and inflation keep the labor market tight.” Owners’ plans to fill open positions reverse the trend of previous months, with a seasonally adjusted net 12% planning to create new jobs in the next three months, up one point from March’s lowest level since May 2020. Labor quality reported as the single most important problem for business owners increased one point to 19%. However, labor quality as small business owners’ top problem has eased considerably over the last two quarters. Overall, 56% of owners reported hiring or trying to hire in April, unchanged for the third consecutive month. Of those hiring or trying to hire, 91% reported few or no qualified applicants for the positions they were trying to fill. Twenty-eight percent of owners reported few qualified applicants for their open positions (down one point) and 23% reported none (up four points). Seasonally adjusted, a net 38% reported raising compensation, unchanged from March. A net 21% (seasonally adjusted) plan to raise compensation in the next three months, also unchanged from March. Thirty-four percent have openings for skilled workers (up three points) and 18% have openings for unskilled labor (up four points). Job openings in construction were up 11 points from last month and over half have a job opening they can’t fill. Job openings were the highest in the transportation, construction, and wholesale sectors, and the lowest in the agriculture and finance sectors. View the full jobs report here.

Topics:

Economy

Check it out!

Until 05/11/2024

Lorem ipsum dolor site amet

Learn More

Get to know NFIB

NFIB is a member-driven organization advocating on behalf of small and independent businesses nationwide.

Learn More

June 16, 2026

NEW NFIB Op-Ed: Competition Won’t Jeopardize Tourism in New Mexico, the Status Quo Will

“Increasing competition among processing networks won’t jeopardize tourism here in New Mexico.”

June 16, 2026

Congress Must Protect Small Business from Frivolous Lawsuits

An opinion article explains the challenges small businesses face with frivolous litigation and what Congress can do to stop lawsuit abuse.

June 16, 2026

Small Businesses Oppose Legislation Allowing Government to Limit Right to Negotiate

The Faster Labor Contracts Act would force newly unionized small businesses into binding arbitration to determine wages and benefits. NFIB opposes this legisla…

Infographic banner reporting that small businesses show lower optimism, 95.3 index with a -0.6 change, and explanatory text; NFIB branding at bottom.

June 16, 2026

Small Businesses Report Lower Optimism in May

Small business optimism in the May Small Business Economic Trends report declined slightly, while the Employment Index remained steady. The Uncertainty Index i…

NFIB Jobs Report: Small Business Job Openings Rise in April

Check it out!

Related Articles