Washington Small Businesses Warn Economy Is Getting Worse

A new National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) report paints a concerning picture for Washington's small business community. The Washington-specific Small Business Economic Trends report found business optimism trailing national averages, with employers expressing growing concerns about hiring, expansion, labor costs, taxes, and the state's overall business climate. Patrick Connor, Washington State Director for the NFIB, discusses why many small businesses say rising labor costs, workers' compensation expenses, unemployment insurance changes, paid leave programs, the Washington CARES payroll tax, and other state policies are making it increasingly difficult to grow and create jobs. The report also highlights Washington's higher-than-average unemployment rate and examines why many business owners say they are delaying expansion plans or reconsidering future investment in the state. In this report: NFIB Small Business Economic Trends Washington business climate Small business outlook Washington economy Labor costs Hiring challenges Washington CARES Workers' compensation Paid Family Medical Leave Washington unemployment Business taxes Economic growth Subscribe for daily reporting on Washington's economy, business, taxes, public policy, elections, and government accountability from The Center Square. #SmallBusiness #WashingtonEconomy #WashingtonBusiness #NFIB #Jobs #Taxes #EconomicGrowth #WashingtonState #TheCenterSquare #WashingtonInFocus