Forced to replace your phones by the end of the year?
Small businesses with more than 7000 square feet of space and a multi-line phone system will be required to scrap their phones and buy a new system before December 31 of 2019 under a little-known rule.
NFIB action was successful in delaying, until this year, a little known Public Service Commission (PSC) rule that would have required many small businesses to replace their phone systems by the end of 2016. While the deadline for replacement was extended until the end of this year, the rule still needs to be changed or rescinded entirely to avoid the requirement for replacing perfectly functioning phone systems to meet new and unnecessary requirements.
The original rule was written to apply to larger businesses with more than 40,000 square feet, but during the rules promulgation process the square footage threshold was lowered to 7,000 square feet. This is the third time the needless rule has been extended. The original rule required changes to take effect on December 31, 2011, but the deadline was extended to December 31, 2016 and again to 2019.
The rules also state that a business in violation of the act after December 31, 2019 may be assessed a fine by the commission from $500.00 to $5,000.00 per offense.
NFIB is working to have this poorly constructed rule rescinded before the end of the year.
