NFIB New Hampshire still remains very active in the efforts
to prevent a state minimum wage increase.
There is an attempt to reestablish a state minimum wage and increase it from
the current $7.25 per hour. The proposal would raise the minimum wage in New
Hampshire to $9 per hour over two years and then tie annual increases to the
minimum wage to the cost of living index.
NFIB is fighting hard to keep the cost of business low and competitive
for small businesses.
Legislation was also proposed to prohibit business owners
from using credit history for
prospective employees. This law removes another arrow from small business
owner’s quiver when making hiring decisions. Credit history is vital to the
hiring process of many in retail and other industries that handle money.
A bill to
increase workers compensation payments
and therefore increase the cost of workers compensation premiums passed the
House but so far has been slowed in the Senate.
NFIB is opposing this additional cost of doing business and is working
to prevent this proposal from becoming law.
NFIB has
successfully worked with other pro-business groups to stall a bill in the
Senate that would have disproportionately distributed fault for damages if an immune party (i.e. a
municipality) was one of the defendants and found to be at fault. The bill
would have required the non-immune party to be liable and payout the immune
party’s share of the verdict. This was a victory for the small business
community in New Hampshire.
Also a bill to shift
greater burden on to the employer as to whether an individual was laid off
or left work was sent to study. Passage
of this burden shifting from the employee to the employer would have increased
unemployment tax rates.
Finally, opponents of electronic
payment of wages for employees attempted to make it more expensive with
higher hurdles for employers who want to utilize this tool to meet their
payroll. Working with the NH Bankers,
NFIB successfully derailed that bill.
