Paid Family Leave and Energy Restrictions Will Hurt Small Businesses
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LANSING, MI (August 29, 2023) – Michigan’s leading small business group, the National Federation of Independent Business, has grave concerns ahead of Governor Whitmer’s Fall Agenda Announcement.
Two of the issues reported to be on the Governor’s Fall Agenda include mandated paid family leave on all employers and a call to eliminate non-renewable sources of energy in Michigan.
“After a decade of prosperity, small business owners in Michigan, like its citizens, are struggling with increased prices and supply chain issues. In addition, both big and small businesses continue to struggle with labor shortages that began before the pandemic. Unfortunately, small businesses have less margin and capital to weather the ongoing battering they have taken since 2020,” said NFIB Michigan State Director Amanda Fisher.
“Many of the proposed policies of the current administration and legislature will only serve to exacerbate an already tenuous situation. Paid family leave is a double hit to those small businesses who will have to deal with a tax hike AND the increased cost and stress of finding temporary replacement workers,” continued Fisher. “The majority of small business owners already do everything they can to provide paid leave and flexibility to their employees – this mandate could either cause small business owners to downsize, or close altogether.”
NFIB members also have grave concerns about government mandated elimination of non-renewable fuel sources.
“Small business owners strive to be good stewards of the environment, but NFIB believes the consequences of elimination of fuel sources like propane, natural gas, and other petroleum products on an arbitrary schedule is both unimaginable and dangerous,” commented Fisher. “Both the direct and indirect costs of this proposal are staggering, especially given the already high energy prices for which everyone in Michigan is paying. We hear time and time again about the poor state of Michigan’s electric grid. It seems irresponsible to add to the burden of the grid prematurely. Reliability and availability of energy when needed is crucial to anyone trying to operate a business.”
“We hope the Governor will rethink these proposals before her ‘What’s Next?’ Address tomorrow,” concluded Fisher.
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For 80 years, NFIB has been advocating on behalf of America’s small and independent business owners, both in Washington, D.C., and in all 50 state capitals. NFIB is nonprofit, nonpartisan, and member-driven. Since our founding in 1943, NFIB has been exclusively dedicated to small and independent businesses, and remains so today. For more information, please visit nfib.com.
