FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HARRISBURG, October 22, 2021 – Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed an executive order yesterday to impose new wage and regulatory mandates on businesses contracting with or accessing development funds from the state. The Governor also called on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to expand the scope of his proposals to broader segments of the economy through legislative action.
The following statement is attributable to Greg Moreland, NFIB’s Pennsylvania State Director:
“Governor Wolf has again missed the mark when addressing the current workforce crisis. His comments further demonstrate that he has retreated to his political corner, rather than working with Main Street employers and jobs creators to identify solutions that address Pennsylvania’s economic challenges, drive our economy forward, and get people back to work. More government red tape is not the answer.
“During the pandemic, wages have increased to historic levels, as evidenced by NFIB Research Center data stating compensation levels have risen to their highest mark in NFIB’s 48-year tracking. Yet, Governor Wolf continues to focus his time and attention on minimum wage increases. The market has responded, and businesses are adjusting.
“Further, saddling Pennsylvania small businesses that utilize economic development resources with a new paid leave mandate will further strain employers already contending with labor shortages and shifts they can’t fill. Businesses in Pennsylvania, small and large, utilize state grants for economic revitalization and recovery to offset Pennsylvania’s already punitive tax and regulatory environment. Mandates, regulations, and red tape will only serve to slow Main Street’s post-pandemic comeback.”
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For more than 75 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.
