Report: Small businesses continue to struggle filling jobs

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(The Center Square) – More than a third of small business owners still can’t fill job openings as Ohio’s unemployment rate continues to rise.

The National Federation of Independent Business September jobs report has its highest number since July 2020.

Despite state-specific data being unavailable, Jared Weiser, NFIB Ohio state director, said state employers continue to try to fill jobs.

“While job openings among small businesses remain above their historical average, Ohio’s small employers have stayed committed to hiring and filling their open positions,” Weiser said in a release. “The labor market is a consistent challenge for small businesses, and we appreciate the work the Ohio Legislature continues to do to fill the skills gap and strengthen our workforce.”

Ohio’s jobless rate is among the highest in the nation at 5% in August, trailing only Washington, D.C., California, Nevada and Michigan.

Ohio’s unemployment rate has been on a steady climb since a historical low of 3.4% in July 2023. Over the past year, from August 2024 to August 2025, unemployment grew 0.6 percentage points.

The national unemployment rate rose to 4.2% in August.

While unemployment is on the rise both in Ohio and across the nation, 16% of small business owners plan to create new jobs in the next three months, which coincides with the Christmas holiday season, according to the report.

That number is a percentage point higher than August.

Also, 31% of small business owners say they raised pay in September, 2 points higher than August, and another 19% plan to raise wages more in the next three months.