Small Business Asks Polis for Three Vetoes

May 16, 2023

Small Business Asks Polis for Three Vetoes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Tony Gagliardi, Colorado State Director, tony.gagliardi@nfib.org, or Tony Malandra, Senior Media Manager, anthony.malandra@nfib.org DENVER, May 16, 2023—The state’s largest and leading small-business associate today released elements of its letter to Gov. Jared Polis asking him to veto three bills sent to him by the Legislature. “Too often the media, government regulators, and politicians are happy to trash employers and exaggerate the woes of workers,” said Tony Gagliardi, Colorado state director for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). “This unbalanced focus has emboldened progressive lawmakers and worker advocates to push for more extreme workplace policies to the detriment of small business. … Unfortunately, the negative impact of these one-size-fits-all, extreme workplace policies increase the chances of an employer being charged with a workplace complaint and unfortunately small businesses are the most targeted.” The three bills NFIB is requesting Polis veto are:

Senate Bill 23-058, concerning required disclosures of age-related information on job applications. It is already a common practice to not request a date of birth or other age identifying information on an initial job application. Once the job offer is made this information is made available along with pertinent criminal background checks.

Senate Bill 23-105, concerning the implementation of measures to ensure equal pay for equal work. The Colorado Legislature has passed multiple versions of equal pay for equal work requirements. The last major policy was passed in 2019. Some of that legislation has just recently resulted in employers located outside of Colorado returning to the Colorado job market for out-of-state workers. Colorado cannot afford to disrupt the markets for those looking to work.

Senate Bill 23-172, concerning protections for Colorado workers against discriminatory employment practices. This piece of legislation duplicates current law in many instances. However, the bill goes further to redefine the definition of harassment and to order the Colorado Civil Rights Division to include on any intake or intake form of a complaint the option to choose harassment as a condition of the complaint.

NFIB Colorado requests the Governor not sign legislation that is going to bring harm to employers and those looking for work. At the present time forty-six percent of small business owners are still attempting to find qualified employees according to recent NFIB national data. Keep up with the latest Colorado small-business news at www.nfib.com/colorado or by following NFIB on Twitter @NFIB_CO or on Facebook @NFIB.CO ### 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 a nonprofit, nonpartisan, and member-driven association. Since its founding in 1943, NFIB has been exclusively dedicated to small and independent businesses and remains so today. For more information, please visit nfib.com. NFIB Colorado 1700 Lincoln Street, 17th Floor Denver, CO 80203 303-860-1778 www.nfib.com/colorado Twitter: @NFIB_CO Facebook: NFIB.CO