Small businesses face disadvantage amid holiday labor shortage

Retail sales surged by nearly 2% in October — the biggest gain since March, when many Americans received stimulus checks. Economists expect the buying surge to continue through the holidays, but many retailers are struggling to fill holiday job openings. 

Eve Golden can't find any full-time workers to staff her New Jersey boutique. She has to close her store every day for half an hour to pick up her daughter from school. 

"I post on social media, ask friends of friends. It just seems like no one is available to work right now," Golden said.