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California Celebrates Small Business Week

Published:

NR No. 25-18
Contact: Loree Levy/Greg Lawson
916-654-9029
mediainquiries@edd.ca.gov

“The Lifeline of the State’s Economy”

What You Need to Know: California, overtaking Japan, is now the fourth-largest economy in the world, and is the nation’s top state for new business starts. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are 4.2 million small businesses operating in California — employing 7 million workers. During National Small Business Week, California celebrates small businesses’ big impact that helps local communities grow.

SACRAMENTO — California’s small businesses drive the economy of the Golden State. In recognition of National Small Business Week, the Employment Development Department (EDD) is highlighting the various services it offers to help small businesses grow and thrive. Employers are encouraged to visit EDD’s Small Business Week webpage to learn more.

“California is strong when small businesses are successful,” said EDD Director Nancy Farias. “We can support business owners in that journey by helping them navigate payroll reporting and assisting them with their recruitment and hiring needs.”

Employers also have a voice at EDD through the Small Business Employer Advisory Committee, and the California Employer Advisory Council.

Small Business Programs and Services

EDD offers a variety of services and programs to help California small businesses grow and support their needs. These programs and services include:

  • Payroll Tax Seminars — Instructional seminars help employers learn the ins and outs of payroll tax reporting.
  • CalJOBSSM — California’s online labor exchange system provided by the EDD. Post job openings, browse résumés, and find qualified candidates using the 24-hour virtual recruiter. EDD can also help with job fairs and recruitment events.
  • e-Services for Business — Employers can visit our e-Services for Business webpage to learn more about EDD’s fast, easy, and secure way to manage their employer payroll tax account online.
  • Work Sharing Program — EDD’s Work Sharing Program provides employers with an alternative to layoffs by providing affected workers with partial unemployment benefits.
  • Disability Insurance Elective Coverage (DIEC) — EDD offers business owners and self-employed individuals with an optional DIEC program that can assist when they can’t work and lose income because of a non-work-related illness, injury, pregnancy, or childbirth. 
  • Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) — When authorized by the President of the United States, DUA provides temporary partial income replacement to individuals whose work or self-employment is interrupted due to a major disaster. 
  • America’s Job Center of CaliforniaSM (AJCC) — Employers can contact their local AJCC when they need help hiring, training, or retaining a strong workforce. It’s free, and help is available right in their neighborhood.

California’s Small Businesses

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis:

  • California, the fourth-largest economy in the world, has 4.2 million small businesses operating in the State—29.1 percent of which are minority-owned.
  • Small businesses account for 99.9 percent of total businesses in California, employing 7 million workers.
  • A total of 63,953 identified firms exported goods worth $174.3 billion from California in 2022. Of those exporters, 60,617—or 94.8 percent—were small. Exports by small firms reached $74.9 billion, making up 43.0 percent of exports by identified firms.

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Additional Resources

  • Office of the Small Business Advocate (OSBA)
    The OSBA provides information and assistance to small businesses to help them succeed in the California marketplace by hosting summits, forums and interagency meetings, and maintaining a list of resources for small business technical assistance, financing, and state procurement.
  • Small Business California
    A proactive, nonpartisan business advocacy organization responsive to the needs of California small business owners.
  • Small Business Majority
    A national small business advocacy organization, founded and run by small business owners to focus on solving the biggest problems facing small businesses today.
  • U.S. Small Business Administration
    Created to aid, counsel, assist, and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise, and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation.