MNI DATA IMPACT: 44% of US Small Biz Sees 6M of Covid Damage

Nearly half of U.S. small business owners say their operations will remain below pre-Covid levels for at least six months, according to data Thursday from the Census Bureau.

The share of firms expecting to return to "normal" levels of operation in no fewer than six months was 44% in the week ending Sept. 12. That's down from the previous 45%, according to Bureau's latest Small Business Pulse Survey, an experimental data product developed in May.

The next largest grouping was the 15% of firms indicating they could get back to normal operating levels between four and six months.

About 10% of firms said operating levels had returned to normal following some coronavirus-related disruption, and 7% said things would never return to normal.

Obstacles to operations included the 20% of respondents who cited reduced operating capacity to meet social distancing guidelines and 13% who faced limited availability of supplies. Another 12% said employee availability was weighing down operations.

Only 4.7% of small businesses said they had rehired employees who had been furloughed or laid off after March 13, when the Covid-19 outbreak was officially ruled a pandemic by the WHO, in the survey's latest week.

Nearly 40% said they did not rehire any paid employees laid off or furloughed in March, and 55% indicated that their business did not reduce staffing levels after March 13.