Read the NFIB news release after that vote
Small Business Owners React: “We Will Be Devastated by Mandate Requiring Extensive Paid Leave!”
Some say they may leave the state, be forced to pare back operation, or cut staff
HARTFORD, May 22, 2019 – Small business owners have been telling lawmakers for months that legislation requiring even the smallest business to allow employees to be out for up to 12 weeks each year on paid leave under numerous circumstances, will be devastating to their companies. Tonight, the Senate passed that bill, and as a result, those family businesses are on edge and worried about their future.
“This could be an extreme hardship for smaller businesses coping with the loss of a critical employee for up to three months, and if two are off at the same time, it could result in a total shutdown,” said Andrew Markowski, state director of NFIB in Connecticut. “This mandate will not only hurt a small business, but it will also hurt their employees who may be out of work altogether.”
Today, the owner of a heavy-duty truck repair business in Southern Connecticut with five employees explained that if one of their four diesel mechanics goes on leave, they would be down a quarter of their workforce for up to three months. That would frequently mean the company could not respond when a truck breaks down, resulting in the loss of clients and income. The owner said if the paid leave mandate passes, they may throw in the towel, lay off the employees, and become a one-mechanic shop.
The owners of a construction drilling firm explained they already perform work in other states and would seriously consider moving their base of operations out of Connecticut due to the hardship the paid family leave bill would create. A veterinarian said he couldn’t do emergency surgery if one of his specially trained techs were out for 12 weeks, and hiring a replacement wasn’t possible because he would have to let that person go when the leave ended.
“Saying that every worker should have 12 weeks off sounds appealing, but in the small business world it’s not always possible or practical to carry that out and still survive,” added Markowski. “Small business owners care about their employees and do all they can to provide generous benefits and accommodate the need for extended leave, but they need flexibility in those arrangements. We are asking the House to understand that reality and not pass this bill.”
