3 Illinois Legislative Issues that Matter to Your Small Business Right Now
With the bill filing deadline for this session looming, Illinois lawmakers are in high gear, rolling out legislative proposals that are both good and bad for small business owners.
Here, according to NFIB/IL State Director Kim Clarke Maisch, are four small business-related lawmakers are debating right now.
1. Worker’s Compensation Reform
In his State of the State Address, Gov. Bruce Rauner trumpeted the need for further workers’ compensation reform—beyond what the legislature instituted in 2011.
“Our workers compensation, unemployment insurance and liability costs all rank among the worst in America,” Gov. Rauner said.
Maisch agrees. “Reforming Illinois’ causation standard under worker’s compensation is a top priority for small employers,” Maisch said. “No longer can they afford to pay for Saturday morning softball injuries that turn into Monday morning worker’s compensation claims.”
2. Service Tax
In his campaign blueprint, Gov. Rauner also floated the idea of expanding the state’s service tax to some 32 areas.
But Maisch said this is a non-starter with small business owners across the state. “In survey after survey NFIB members in Illinois reject bringing a service tax to our state,” she said.
3. Paid Sick Leave
Even before bill filing deadline, two paid sick leave bills have been filed so far. One, HB 166, would set up a state run insurance pool and impact businesses with 50 or more employees. Another, HB 1368, would be administered by the Illinois Department of Insurance and funded by a $2.50 monthly premium. “This bill would affect all businesses regardless of size, though time off will accrue twice as fast for an employee in a business that has more than 50 employees,” Maisch said. “In businesses with less than 50 workers, an employee would accrue one hour paid sick time for every 40 hours worked.”
“Paid sick leave is a costly and harmful mandate to force onto small businesses,” Maisch said. “We strongly believe this type of decision is best left in the workplace, between an employer and his or her employees.”
Maisch said she fully expects each of these issues to be pursued during this legislative session. The Deadline for bills to be filed is the end of February.
How would each of these issues affect your small business? Which one is most important to you? Tell us in the comments section below.
