Small Business Employment Declines, Reflecting the Ongoing Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic

The latest Paychex | IHS Markit Small Business Employment Watch shows a decrease in small business employment as the COVID-19 pandemic caused instability for employers nationwide. The jobs index declined 3.65 percent last month to 94.63, a level consistent with rates seen in 2009 during the financial crisis. Hourly earnings growth rose slightly to 2.78 percent ($0.75) year-over-year. However, one-month annualized weekly hours worked growth dropped sharply, by 8.92 percent in April, resulting in a decline in weekly earnings growth to 1.28 percent from a year ago.

Read the full news release on the Small Business Employment Watch site.