The federal government workers are, you know, they're hard working, a lot of them are highly skilled. But they're sitting doing government work that isn't much value.
These NIC changes create a significant burden for growing businesses at exactly the wrong time. Employers have been preparing for these increased costs by slowing hiring.
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) reports that small business confidence has improved slightly to -40.7 points, up from -64.5 in late 2024, indicating ongoing financial struggles.