WASHINGTON—U.S. small businesses have faced an unprecedented economic disruption due to the pandemic and the subsequent government shutdowns. With the economy reopening, many business owners are now hit by another crisis, as they have trouble filling jobs. Many entrepreneurs can’t compete with the unemployment benefits offered by the federal government. Mark Owens, owner of USA Insulation and a trucking company in Indiana, is one of them. The inability to hire people “has put a burden on our business,” Owens said during a virtual roundtable hosted by Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.) on March 24. “Because nobody wants to come and work.” His business ran 150 job advertisements from December 2020 through Feb. 15 but only three people showed up for an interview during that time. And their objective, he said, was to provide proof of a job search needed to receive benefits rather than to actually get the job. Candidates say they want …
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