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Small Business Employment in the Pandemic Era and Beyond


Abstract: In this article, we study the creation of small firms, with a focus on the post-March 2020 period (i.e., after the start of the global Covid-19 pandemic).1 We document the increase in new small firms, as well as the contributions of small firms to employment growth, during this period. Our analysis shows that, despite the increase in the number of small businesses, the share of employees working for small firms is considerably lower than in large businesses and is, in fact, declining.

JEL Classification: L25; J23; M13; E32;

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Provider: Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

Part of Series: Chicago Fed Letter

Publication Date: 2025-08

Volume: 509

Pages: 10