What Would Hillary Clinton’s America Look Like for Small Business?

Date: June 23, 2016

See how Clinton’s recent campaign remarks will affect small business.

Should business owners worry about a Hillary Clinton presidency? 

As the presumptive Democratic nominee and self-proclaimed “small business president,” Hillary Clinton has made many recent pledges on the campaign trail about what she will do for small business and its employees. That includes releasing some of her economic agenda on June 21 in a speech where she said that Donald Trump would bring on another recession, according to the Guardian.  

GET THE LATEST ELECTION NEWS—AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR OWNERS.

“We can’t let him bankrupt America like we’re one of his failed casinos,” Clinton said. “We can’t let him roll the dice with our children’s futures.” 

Below is more of a breakdown on Clinton’s stances regarding Main Street’s most important issues.

Minimum wage 

Clinton has made it no secret that she wants to increase the minimum wage, a thorny issue for many small business owners. She has publicly endorsed a $12 minimum wage at the federal level, and she encourages cities that are capable to go as high as $15 an hour. 

“We need more cities and states to follow the lead of Los Angeles, St. Louis, and New York,” Clinton told minimum wage activists in Detroit last year. Business advocates across the country are concerned that an increased minimum wage will lead to reduced hours or fewer jobs due to the increased cost of doing business. 

Paid family leave

The Democratic nominee wants to institute a national paid leave policy, including plans that call for 12 weeks of paid leave for parenting or illness. 

“We are the last developed country in the world that has no national paid leave,” Clinton said at an Iowa roundtable last year. But this proposal could have significant consequences for small business if it’s implemented.

“Small businesses with only a handful of employees will be seriously impacted if forced to grant paid leave to employees who they are unable to replace,” Small Business Trends reported.

The Affordable Care Act

Clinton has tethered herself to Pres. Barack Obama’s bill, emphasizing that she wants to work to improve the legislation moving forward. Small business owners often cite healthcare as one of their top concerns, due to rising premiums and penalties for not complying, Fortune reported

Clinton hopes to reduce costs by implementing tax credits, investing in healthcare technologies, and conducting public outreach efforts to get people signed up through the healthcare exchange, according to Fortune.

“You know, before it was called Obamacare, it was called Hillarycare,” Clinton said at a Nevada rally, according to NPR.

*Note: This news coverage does not equate to an endorsement of any candidate by NFIB.

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore

Subscribe For Free News And Tips

Enter your email to get FREE small business insights. Learn more

Get to know NFIB

NFIB is a member-driven organization advocating on behalf of small and independent businesses nationwide.

Learn More

Or call us today
1-800-634-2669

© 2001 - 2024 National Federation of Independent Business. All Rights Reserved. Terms and Conditions | Privacy