NFIB wrote a letter to the U.S. House ahead of an upcoming hearing on small businesses, pointing out how lawmakers can support small businesses rather than weigh them down with overreach and regulations.

The pieces of legislation that were mentioned ask Congress to:

• Support the Save Local Business Act or the American Franchise Act, bills that help protect franchises by preventing future detrimental joint employer rules and ensure only two employers who exercise direct or immediate control can be named joint employers. While both bills protect franchises, the Save Local Business Act also includes independent contractors and subcontractors, shielding more small businesses from harmful franchise rules.  

• Support The Prove It Act, a bill to strengthen regulatory protections for small businesses created by the Regulatory Flexibility Act and make sure small businesses have a voice in the regulatory process. 

• Support The Heat Workforce Standards Act, a bill that prevents a proposed OSHA heat standard that will add costly and burdensome requirements on small businesses, including mandating a paid 15-minute break for every 2 hours of work.    

• Oppose the PRO Act, a harmful bill for small business that requires employers to provide contact information of employees to union organizers, abolishes state right-to-work laws, allows secondary boycotts for unions, and other anti-small business provisions. 

• Oppose Pro-Labor Framework, new legislation that adds red tape and regulations on small businesses complicating the ability to hire and retain employees, bans quotas and workplace performance standards, and makes employers responsible for injuries to employees that happen outside of work. 

NFIB’s letter and policy paper uncover several harmful labor bills and regulations under consideration that would detrimentally affect the health of the small business labor market. Congress must take action to protect the rights of small businesses nationwide.

Take Action: Tell your lawmakers how government overreach and regulatory burdens impact your small business!