FEDERALhearing transcript

Hearing: How the Opioid Epidemic Affects Small Businesses

Original title: NOW HIRING: HOW THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC AFFECTS SMALL BUSINESSES

January 1, 2019

small business opioid epidemic labor market workforce development public health

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The Frame

What this does

This hearing documents the federal government's investigation into how the opioid epidemic contributes to labor shortages for small businesses, which affects hiring practices and workforce availability nationwide.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Small business owners

They face challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified employees due to the impact of the opioid epidemic on the labor force.

Working-age individuals

The committee noted that many are not participating in the labor force due to opioid addiction.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2019.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The House Committee on Small Business held a hearing on September 13, 2018, to examine how the opioid crisis impacts the ability of small businesses to hire and retain qualified workers. The committee discussed data suggesting that addiction is contributing to a shrinking and creating challenges for employers across the country.

Key Facts

The hearing took place on September 13, 2018, in the Rayburn House Office Building.
In 2015, an estimated two million workers were not in the labor force due to the opioid epidemic.
According to the National Safety Council, over 70 percent of U.S. employers have been affected by employees' prescription drug use.
The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index reached a record high in September 2018.
62 percent of small businesses reported trying to hire new employees, with 89 percent of those reporting difficulty finding qualified applicants.
25 percent of small businesses cited finding qualified workers as their single biggest problem as of September 2018.
President Trump declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency in September 2017.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Small Business Committee investigating the opioid epidemic?

The committee is investigating because the epidemic is impacting the labor market, specifically by reducing the number of available, qualified workers for small businesses.

What data was presented regarding small business hiring?

Data from the NFIB indicated that 89 percent of small businesses trying to hire were struggling to find qualified applicants, and 25 percent identified this as their biggest business challenge.

Why It Matters

News Coverage

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Labor Market Impact of Public Health

The committee explicitly linked the opioid public health emergency to macroeconomic labor force participation rates.

House Committee on Small Business National Federation of Independent Business

Connected Entities

personBen Gitis“Director of Labor Market Policy, American Action Forum”Map →

organizationNational Safety Council“Source of data regarding employer impact from prescription drug use”Map →

organizationHouse Committee on Small Business“Congressional committee conducting the hearing”Map →

personNydia Velazquez“Ranking Member of the House Committee on Small Business”Map →

organizationNational Federation of Independent Business“Source of small business optimism and hiring data”Map →

personSteve Chabot“Chairman of the House Committee on Small Business”Map →

personLisa Allen“President & CEO, Ziegenfelder Company”Map →

personKatie Van Dyke“Director, Ohio Small Business Development Center”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy20
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz15
Current news / social attention level

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