Silver State Times

NFIB Nevada revealed findings from its final monthly Jobs Report of the year, showing that small business owners continue to face challenges. Released on December 5, 2024, the report highlighted that despite Small Business Saturday and holiday sales, no significant positive shift in sentiment had occurred among these owners.

Tray Abney, Nevada's state director for NFIB, commented on the ongoing difficulties, stating, "Small business job creators continue to struggle to find qualified employees to fill open positions." Abney also addressed the expectations from political leaders, urging them to refrain from actions that could worsen the situation. "We urge our newly-elected federal leaders to ‘do no harm’ and hope that our 2025 Legislature does the same. Any new taxes, fees, regulations or cost increases will enhance an already precarious situation for small business owners."

Bill Dunkelberg, the Chief Economist for NFIB, provided insights into the specific struggles of small businesses. "As the overall job market softens, hiring among small businesses remains a struggle. Main Street owners continue to feel pressure to raise compensation at historically high levels to attract and retain workers."

Key findings from the November report include that 36% of small business owners reported job vacancies they could not fill, a slight increase from the previous month. Labor costs were identified as the most significant issue for owners, rising three points to 11%, close to the high reached in December 2021. A net 18% of owners plan to create jobs in the coming three months, an increase of three points since October.

The report also noted disparities across sectors. Transportation, construction, and professional services faced the highest number of job openings, whereas sectors such as agriculture and finance experienced fewer vacancies. Notably, job openings in construction rose by five points from the previous month, with over 54% of businesses unable to fill positions.

The NFIB, a longstanding advocate for small and independent businesses, continues to monitor and report on these trends, urging involvement and attention from policymakers.