NFIB has begun airing radio ads in Virginia opposing a costly one-size-fits-all paid leave mandate that would increase costs and lawsuit abuse for Main Street businesses. Click here to listen to the ad.

The ads are part of a broader digital and radio ad campaign opposing legislation that would increase costs and legal exposure for small businesses already struggling with rising costs, labor shortages and other economic uncertainties.

NFIB State Director Julia Hammond said, “Proponents of the universal paid leave mandate seem to think all businesses are alike, but that’s not true.

“There’s a big difference between Wall Street and Main Street,” she said. “Small businesses operate on thin margins. Owners try to work with employees when they can, but many simply can’t afford to pay workers who aren’t there while also paying someone else to do the job.

“The bill also creates a complicated enforcement system that exposes small businesses to new legal risks and frivolous, abusive lawsuits,” Hammond said.

Current legislation would allow workers to bypass a standard investigation process and sue their employers directly in court, Hammond said. Predatory trial attorneys could seek double damages, reinstatement, lost wages, attorney fees, and court costs.

“That could devastate small businesses already struggling with mounting expenses,” she said. “The cost of defending even one frivolous lawsuit could be enough to put them out of business.”