U.S. Small Business Employment Growth Remains Consistent as Weekly Hours Worked Reach Near-Decade High

Rochester, N.Y. (November 4, 2025) – According to the latest Paychex Small Business Employment Watch,which is based on the payroll data of Paychex’s customers with fewer than 50 employees, small business employment levels remained consistent in October. The report’s Small Business Jobs Index has moved less than one percentage point over the last year, indicating continued moderation in small business hiring. While hourly earnings growth for U.S. small business workers slowed marginally to 2.58%, remaining below three percent for the last 15 months, small business employees experienced an increase in their weekly earnings due to greater hours worked during the month.

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