Press Archive | Small Business Says No to NYC Paid Vacation Mandate 

​Since Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled the proposed paid vacation mandate as a policy priority back in January, the business community has come together in opposition. NYSRA has joined a number of business industry allies to create a PR campaign that highlights the harm this policy would do to small businesses. Thanks to the cooperation and testimony of our collective members, we have been able to tell the stories of New Yorkers who run small businesses, and of the deep concerns they have about how a paid vacation mandate would impact them.
Below is a collection of recent press pieces that are the result of our PR campaign, and you can also follow along in real time through #SmallBizSOS on Twitter. 

Johnson skeptical of paid vacation bill touted by Mayor
Speaker Johnson is concerned about the impact that paid vacation could have on small businesses, particularly those that may already be struggling. His concern also stems from the unreasonably low threshold for the legislation which was introduced at only five-employees. This policy will only hurt businesses who cannot afford to provide paid vacation. 
 
Ballooning Property Taxes Cripple NYC Businesses As Rents Drop
The NY State Legislature passed rent reform earlier this year, however, retail establishments are unable to keep pace with rising commercial property taxes. Leases can pass along the rising property tax costs to renting retail businesses so they can see increases in the base rent paid to landlords as well as the property tax. 
 
‘Plight’ of small businesses felt across New York City
City government has not adequately addressed the rate of businesses closing in NYC through legislation or tax incentives but is instead passing more regulatory legislation that is increasing the cost of doing business. Businesses continue to close because of high commercial rents and the growth of e-commerce but this is not being addressed.  
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De Blasio's half-baked policies are killing small business
Testimony from a potential affected small business who is concerned about how she may be able to cover the cost of paid vacation, without support from the City. She anticipates the cost of such a policy may cost her about $57,000/a year which would significantly impact her business. 
 
NYC small businesses are on the ropes: Rising wages and growing regulations are causing real harm to our neighborhoods
Increasing regulation, in addition to the existing obstacle of operating a business in an expensive city, is continuing to make it difficult for businesses to operate with limited margins. Small businesses have dealt with an onslaught of new regulation in the past two years with no financial backing from the City and this cannot continue. 
 
De Blasio’s 'Workers’ Bill of Rights’ panned by small business owners and advocates
Mayor Bill de Blasio’s “worker’s bill of rights” which includes two weeks paid vacation, a $15 min wage and paid sick leave, is having consequences on New York’s small businesses. The mayor is painting a false narrative that employers are working against their employees when in reality most small business employers are doing the same work as their employees. Small business cannot sustain any more of these laws. 
 
NYC: A regulation wonderland, a small business nightmare
Recent regulations passed by the New York City Council are strangling small businesses. Regulations such as paid sick leave, family leave, paid time off, predictive scheduling, minimum wage, lactation in the workplace, anti-harassment, and congestion pricing are forcing small businesses to close. An analysis of Brooklyn’s Bushwick district by the city’s Department of Small Business Services showed storefront vacancy rates ranging from 15-25 percent, revealing that while these regulations may be good workers they are causing great damage to small businesses. 
 
NYC can be risky for small business owners, study says
A recent study by the personal-finance website, WalletHub, released a report on the Best Largest Cities to Start a Business and ranked New York City 66th. This is because of smaller business revenue and the 4th most expensive office spaces. 
 
Small businesses on the brink: Stores in neighborhoods across New York are in crying need of help (Written by legislators)
Small businesses are facing a crisis due to increasing regulation and fines. They should be involved in the decision-making process so that the City can be better informed about harmful policy. Another proposed solution is to create business tax incentives for landlords who offer affordable rent to small local businesses. 
 
Mayor de Blasio’s plan to mandate paid vacation will cripple NYC’s small businesses
The Mayor’s plan for paid vacation sets infeasible goals without taking into consideration the impact on small businesses. Businesses have already been struggling to adapt to other recently passed regulatory legislation. New legislation won’t make life easier for workers who may face layoffs in response to businesses attempting to implement new legislation. 
 
Not so easy to do business in NYC, report finds
A.T. Kearney’s annual Global Cities report found that NYC ranked 24th on “outlook”, which examines trends in livability, forest direct investment, entrepreneurship, private investment and ease of doing business. 
 
Small businesses to de Blasio: We can't afford paid vacation
79% of 1,470 business groups surveyed, said that they would not be able to afford De Blasio’s new paid vacation plan. Potential consequences for such businesses would be slashing hours or laying off employees. 93% of the businesses surveyed opposed the new plan. It should be the responsibility of the city to cover the costs, rather than imposing another cost on small business owners. 
 
Small business owners blast De Blasio's paid vacation bill
More than 100 business owners and elected rallied on the steps of City Hall in opposition to the Mayor’s plan for paid vacation and instead asked for help regarding rising commercial rent. 
 
Independent Bookstores Warn De Blasio's Paid Time Off Proposal Could Endanger Small BusinessesMayor de Blasio’s new proposed legislation for paid vacation would hurt independent businesses such as bookstores who already struggle to compete with rising rents and e-commerce giants who are able to undercut most businesses. Independent retailers are a dying breed in New York and will be regulated into the ground with the passage of further legislation such as paid vacation. 
 
Enough already! Halt the costly mandates on New York’s businessesMandating all businesses to provide up to two weeks paid vacation is an unrealistic expectation for those who own restaurants, bars and nightclubs. There needs to be a healthy balance between ensuring that employees are protected and that employers are not over regulated. 
 
Small biz rally held/Gjonaj heads City Hall protest for ‘mom and pop’ shops
Council Member Mark Gjonaj and a group of small business owners held a rally at City Hall on June 28th asking de Blasio to stop passing legislation that is crushing small businesses. A census shows that 50% of new small businesses fail within their fifth year despite the fact that businesses with less than 10 employees account for 80% of all jobs created in the city. Council Member Gjonaj introduced a new piece of legislation, the Micro-Business Transparency Act, which require the city to conduct yearly check-ups on businesses with fewer than 10 employees and create programs to help them stay afloat. 
 
As De Blasio Promises Paid Personal Time, Small Business Owners Push Back
The newest legislation passed by the council does not address the larger issue that small business owners face and are seeking to remedy which is over-regulation. Small business owners must deal with copious fines and regulatory requirements while operating on slim profit margins. The Council needs to take into account that small business owners are working people too. If the City were to take initiative and fund the proposed policy, it would alleviate the burden on business owners. 
 
Crece la lista de agravios de los pequeños negocios de Nueva York
Small businesses are beseeching NYC elected officials to reconsider the proposed legislation for paid vacation. Small business owners are also immigrants and also subject to high commercial rents and need assistance from the local government.
 
Pequeños empresarios protestan por plan de alcalde de dar dos semanas de vacaciones a empleadosDozens of employers gathered at the steps of City Hall in a protest against new regulations passed by the city council, which have debilitated small businesses all over the city. Regulations, such as paid vacation time, have created many costs for small businesses, which they cannot afford. These regulations are putting the livelihood of these stores at risk.  
 
Empty Storefronts: City government is more cause than cureWhile the City is attempting to help business owners by passing laws to track empty storefronts, the Council is failing to address the actual concerns of business owners such as exorbitantly high rents and property taxes. Stores and restaurants are being milked for revenue by the City and neglected to shutter down due to the costs. The council must act to avoid inflicting further costs.