As a stakeholder in the small business community, I can attest to the struggles these enterprises endure to break even, sustain our local economies, create jobs, and enrich our communities. These establishments typically operate with razor-thin margins, facing a myriad of challenges such as rising operation costs and labor shortages.

The current Existing Temporary Standard Act (ETSA) proposes that companies with 10 or more employees offer paid sick leave, increasing the operational expenses for these small businesses. This requirement could lead existing businesses to downsize their staff to accommodate these additional costs. We believe this could potentially impact the stability of many small enterprises, leading to an undesirable ripple effect on the communities and economies they serve.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, small businesses account for around 44% of U.S. economic activity. This is an indication of the profound impact these businesses have on both our local and national economies. Changing the employee threshold for the ETSA Act from 10 to 25 will provide these businesses with more room to navigate their finances and operational costs, protecting jobs, and supporting their ability to contribute to our economy.

It is apparent that an amendment to the ETSA Act is a necessary course of corrective action – a change that considers the realities and financial constraints of these micro-enterprises. For the well-being of the employees of these businesses, who may suffer the repercussions of squeezed profit margins, and the health of our communities which they serve, we petition for an amendment to the ETSA Act - to increase the employee threshold for small businesses from 10 to 25. We need this change. Sign this petition to help protect our small businesses, their employees, and the communities they support.