U.S. Chamber of Commerce

12/07/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 12/07/2021 17:23

The States Suffering Most from the Labor Shortage

If you've seen more 'Help Wanted' signs around your neighborhood, or are getting more alerts about job postings from Indeed or LinkedIn than usual, you're not alone. Amid the current labor shortage, some states, like Vermont, have lost up to 7.6% of their labor force at a time when businesses need to hire workers to continue their economic recovery.

In Georgia, for example, job openings are up more than 70%, but at the same time, the gap between job openings and the number of unemployed workers available to fill them has grown. There are now 2.6 job openings for every unemployed worker in Georgia.

Quit rates reached a record high last month at 3%, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with states like Hawaii (4.7%), Louisiana (3.7%), and West Virginia (3.3%) seeing even higher percentages than the national rate.

As part of the U.S. Chamber and U.S. Chamber Foundation's America Works initiative, we're tracking all of this workforce data to get a clearer picture of what the labor shortage crisis looks like across the country. Coming in 2022, the Chamber will launch a new Workforce Data Center with more insights, latest numbers, and analysis for your state.

See below for a preview of which states' labor forces are seeing the most impact. For workforce solutions for business, the Chamber's policy recommendations, and more data and analysis, visit uschamber.com/work.

About the authors

Lindsay Cates

Manager, Communications and Strategy

Lindsay is a manager on the communications and strategy team. She previously worked as a writer and editor at U.S. News and World Report.

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