New Poll Shows North Carolina Small Businesses Hit Hard by Extreme Weather, 1 in 5 Have Laid Off Workers

A scientific opinion poll Small Business Majority released today shows North Carolina small employers have experienced a significant financial impact due to extreme weather, with more than four in 10 temporarily shutting their doors and 1 in 5 having to lay off workers. A policy paper also being released today by Small Business Majority provides a number of legislative actions lawmakers can take to help small businesses better weather these extreme events, and mitigate the effects of climate change that causes them.

The poll, conducted Feb. 7-9, 2014 by Public Policy Polling on behalf of Small Business Majority, found more nearly half of small businesses have been personally impacted by extreme weather, and a staggering 90 percent of those businesses say they̢??‰?ve experienced a ̢???significant̢???? financial impact because of it. Nearly four in 10 small business owners report they̢??‰?ve experienced damages between $5,000 and $25,000. What̢??‰?s more, 1 in 5 North Carolina small business owners had to lay off workers due to extreme weather and 44 percent have had to close their business for up to a week, with some closing for as long as 14 to 30 days.

̢???The increase in winter storms this year has been really hard on my business,̢???? said Lynn St. Laurent, owner of Amelie̢??‰?s French Bakery in Charlotte. ̢???I was forced to close my bakery during the last snow storm, which means lost revenue for us. Even worse, I was looking to expand my business to Atlanta, but all of the extreme winter storms across the South have taken such a financial toll that I̢??‰?ve had to stall my plans for now. You expect some bad weather during this time of year, but we̢??‰?re not used to this much snow and ice here in Charlotte. I̢??‰?m getting more and more concerned about the economic impact of these events.̢????

North Carolina entrepreneurs know firsthand how devastating extreme weather events can be to their businesses. In fact, nearly half (47 percent) of the North Carolina small business owners polled reported they have seen examples of extreme weather financially impacting their own business or that of someone they know. It comes as no surprise then that two-thirds of North Carolina small business owners believe extreme weather is an urgent problem that can disrupt the economy and hurt small businesses, and they support clean energy policies that can benefit their bottom lines. Another 69 percent agree the expanded use of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power can have economic benefits for small business owners by creating new business opportunities for entrepreneurs.

It̢??‰?s important to note that North Carolina small business owners don̢??‰?t see these issues through an ideological lens. The political breakdown of the poll was varied, with 40 percent identifying as Republican, 35 percent as Democrat and 26 percent as independent. This shows policymakers on both sides of the aisle should take notice.

Legislative action they can take now is laid out in ̢???The Toll Extreme Weather Takes on Small Business & the Economy,̢???? a policy paper outlining the impact extreme weather has on small businesses, why they̢??‰?re uniquely vulnerable and how to address the issue on a legislative front. The report includes recommendations such as enacting the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (or Shaheen-Portman bill), which would promote energy conservation and cut energy waste, and having the Small Business Administration assess the effects of extreme weather on our nation̢??‰?s small businesses in order to help inform entrepreneurs and policymakers about the importance of mitigating the effects.

̢???Extreme weather events have been touching an increasing number of small employers, and with 1 in 5 owners saying they̢??‰?ve had to lay off employees, it̢??‰?s time to sit up and take notice,̢???? said Rhett Buttle, Small Business Majority̢??‰?s Vice President of External Affairs. ̢???Policymakers should embrace smart clean energy policies that would create opportunities for small businesses, boost the economy and help address some of the economic uncertainty we̢??‰?re experiencing today̢??‰۝all while addressing this growing problem of extreme weather wrecking havoc on our primary job creators.̢????

For the full poll report, please visit: http://www.smallbusinessmajority.org/small-business-research/clean-energy/nc-extreme-weather-poll.php

For the full policy paper, please visit: