“As COVID-19 continues to spread across New York, threatening
the health of residents everywhere, it is also wreaking havoc with the
livelihoods of untold numbers of small business owners and those they employ.
The loss of income these businesses are experiencing will force some to shut
their doors quickly while others may survive a bit longer. But, without a
doubt, the ill-advised legislation authored by Senate Democrats and passed
yesterday will amplify the financial stress these small business owners are
experiencing during this unprecedented crisis.
“While there is some consolation that last-minute changes to
the bill narrowed its scope and removed some of the most damaging provisions,
nonetheless, there was a better option. We introduced legislation that would
have supported workers under mandatory or precautionary quarantine by making
them eligible for compensation through the paid family leave program. This
legislation was not considered, nor were any measures that would have sought to
help both employers and employees cope with the hardships of this crisis.
“Instead, what was presented to us just minutes before we
were required to vote on it was a measure that does not distinguish between
full-time, part-time or seasonal employees. A bill that was fair, equitable and
workable would have scaled paid sick leave in terms of full-time equivalents
(FTEs). This failure to make distinctions has resulted in a bill that will
unfairly burden small business owners with sick leave costs disproportionate to
the size and income of their operations. Democrats failed to recognize that
their legislation forcing a short-term payout to employees could have the very
long-term result of forcing many of these already-struggling businesses to
close their doors forever. That is why I voted ‘no’.
