SMALL BUSINESS TO LAWMAKERS: STAY OUT OF IT
BOSTON (October
12, 2015): The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) is poised to
testify tomorrow before the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce
Development in opposition to legislation that would require small
business owners to establish work schedules three weeks in advance and pay a
penalty for any changes. The bills essentially restrict a small employer’s
ability to adapt to changing circumstances. And, unless lawmakers are handing
out crystal balls, the bills will create one more suffocating mandate for Main
Street.
“These bills
will have a disproportionate adverse impact on small businesses and probably
even on workers at small businesses. More than ever, small employers must be
nimble and be able to respond to customers’ needs in order to successfully
compete with companies many times their size and workers understand this,”
according to NFIB/Massachusetts state director Bill Vernon. “Schedules for Main
Street businesses are susceptible to change on short notice and small business
owners should not be penalized for unforeseen situations that cause alterations
to scheduling.”
The House proposal
(House Bill No. 1708) applies to all employers in the Commonwealth while the
Senate bill (Senate Bill No. 973) purports to apply to retail stores and fast
food restaurants with 75 or more employees. But the even the Senate version
applies punitive pay and its other regulatory burdens to small business owners
of fast food restaurants and retailers of any size. In addition, according to
Vernon, the definition of “employer” in both bills includes companies of any
size and any number of workers.
“This legislation
is an unjustified mandate on small business owners that already bear excessive
costs associated with regulatory compliance. Once again, lawmakers are
considering restrictions on the fundamental rights of small business owners to
operate their private businesses. Whether it is a large order with a short
delivery notice, a change in the weather, or another worker unavailable at the
last minute, small business owners need flexibility to operate their places of
business without government interference and financial penalties,” Vernon
continued.
“Massachusetts
already is the home of the highest health care costs in the nation, the highest
energy costs in the nation, the most expansive paid sick leave law in the
nation, near the highest unemployment insurance costs in the nation, some of
the highest commercial property taxes in the nation, and extensive regulatory
costs and restrictions. This scheduling mandate, if passed, will be just one
more obstacle in the way of running a small business and employing workers in
our state,” concluded Vernon.
