Small businesses face significant challenges from larger competitors in acquiring and retaining qualified workers, and messy government regulations further exacerbate these problems. Dylan Rosnick, NFIB Principal of Federal Government Relations, explores several steps Congress can take to alleviate these consistent and comprehensive issues in an opinion-editorial for The Washington Reporter. 

Rosnick pointed to several policy proposals in Congress that pose significant threats to small business owners’ ability to find and retain qualified workers.

Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act  

The PRO Act could have devastating consequences for American small businesses and American workers, as it upends long-standing labor laws in favor of labor unions at the expense of small businesses. The legislation is anti-worker, anti-free choice, and anti-small business. Our nation’s leaders should reject this bill on behalf of small businesses and those they employ nationwide. 

One-size-fits-all increases to national minimum wage standards  

Congress is considering multiple proposals that would increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour or higher. Businesses in rural and low cost of living areas of the country being forced to pay the same wage as more expensive and urban areas would struggle to maintain personnel without making notable increases to the costs of goods or services. Opposing these proposals is critical for small businesses to be able to acquire and retain employees and compete with their larger competitors. 

Reject the one-sized-fits all heat standard 

The proposed heat standard would impose onerous new mandates and increase red tape for small businesses without consideration for regional climate differences or industry-specific job functions. The administration should reject the rule and Congress should pass legislation to ensure that the proposed heat standard cannot be finalized and prevent OSHA from undertaking a similar rulemaking. Preventing a heat standard removes the threat of new regulatory compliance costs to small businesses.  

Read the full opinion-editorial for a deeper look at the labor challenges facing America’s small businesses and key takeaways that members of Congress can use to build a better future for small business.  

Take Action: Small business owners oppose the PRO Act. Let Congress know how these harmful regulations could impact your small business!