FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Suzanne Budge, Idaho State Director, sbs@sbsidaho.com
or Tony Malandra, Senior Media Manager, anthony.malandra@nfib.org

BOISE, Idaho, Jan. 8, 2026—From NFIB Idaho State Director Suzanne Budge 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%.

“It will be a very busy year ahead for the small business agenda in Congress and in the Idaho Legislature. Last week, we announced our nine legislative priorities for Congress.

Back in Boise, we are centering our advocacy efforts on private property protections, tort reform, and stopping new or increased taxes in this tight budget year. Local option taxes are a special concern for our members, following the legislative proposals at the end of the 2025 session.”

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 Idaho small-business news at www.nfib.com or by following NFIB on X @NFIB_ID.

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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 Idaho
802 W. Bannock Ste. 301
Boise, ID 83702
208-345-6632
NFIB.com
X: @NFIB_ID