LABOR COLLAPSE: Small business owners can’t compete with federal stimulus, struggle to hire workers

(Natural News) President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion economic stimulus package has kept thousands of people who lost their jobs fed and comfortable thus far amid the pandemic. On March 6, the Senate voted to approve that package, which included a federal jobless benefit supplement of $300 per week until Sept. 6.

But the stimulus package is hurting small businesses. Small business owners said it is now difficult to get people to go back to work or even call in for an interview because of the generous federal aid.

Mark Owens, who owns an insulation and a trucking company in Indiana, said the inability to hire people “has put a burden” on his businesses during a virtual roundtable hosted by Rep. Jackie Walorski on March 24.

“[Nobody] wants to come and work,” said Owens. He said his businesses ran roughly 150 job advertisements from December last year until Feb. 15. Only three people showed up for an interview during that time, and Owens said they only came to get a proof that they were looking for a job so that they could claim benefits. Some candidates that really wanted the job never showed up again, added Owens.

He said this inability to hire people has been an “emotional rollercoaster” for many small business owners like himself.

Jobs are available, but few are calling

Small business owners have trouble hiring workers even though there is no shortage of jobs. In fact, a monthly survey by the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) showed that job openings in February reached an all-time record high, with 40 percent of businesses saying they are struggling to fill openings.

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