Today, CEO John Arensmeyer shared a letter with congressional leadership outlining key policy recommendations that must be included in the forthcoming human infrastructure package. These investments are critical because small businesses need more support to ensure a successful long-term recovery from the pandemic, and to promote a more resilient workforce and economy.
Small Business Majority has created a comprehensive state policy agenda to ensure entrepreneurship is at the center of a thriving and inclusive economy in Georgia. The state’s 1 million small businesses comprise 99.6% of all businesses in the state, and they employ 1.6 million residents—nearly half of all Georgia employees.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated the failing infrastructure systems we have in this country, particularly when it comes to a lack of investment in the “care economy.” Small business owners and employees alike have struggled to afford healthcare during a public health crisis and to take care of their young and elderly family members. As small business owners and representatives of the small business community, we’ve seen firsthand that a lack of access to affordable child care, healthcare and paid leave is hampering our workforce participation and our recovery.
The federal government is implementing a series of new COVID-19 vaccination requirements to mitigate the impacts of the recent surge in COVID-19 cases. A new Small Business Majority opinion poll reveals that a majority of small businesses with employees are supportive of vaccination requirements at places of business, while many have already implemented vaccine policies on their own.
California lawmakers are weighing a proposal to require proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test for customers at consumer-facing businesses and to similarly require employers to mandate vaccinations or negative COVID-19 tests for employees. New opinion polling from Small Business Majority reveals that small businesses in California are supportive of proposals to mandate vaccinations and testing at places of business to help ensure local economies can operate safely, amid setbacks from the current surge in COVID-19 cases.
As lawmakers in Washington consider a robust budget reconciliation package to invest in “human infrastructure” and debate how to pay for this plan, Small Business Majority surveyed small business owners and managers of operations at small businesses around the country to better understand their views on our tax system, as well as their opinions on tax policies that have been proposed to offset the costs of the human infrastructure plan.
As Congress debates a bipartisan infrastructure plan and a larger $3.5 trillion investment in “human infrastructure,” Small Business Majority surveyed its network to understand their views on key issues being considered such as child care and paid family and medical leave. The survey also examined how small businesses are navigating mask and vaccination requirements, as an increase in coronavirus cases becomes a concern for employers and local economies.
Ten years ago when Sarah Ladley started her Colorado, banana-based ice cream food truck Ba-Nom-a-Nom, she was ahead of the curve. Now, after nearly a year and a half of Covid setbacks, she is fighting to keep up.
Never in a million years did Sarah think she would become a business owner. In fact, she was on a pre-med track in undergrad when she started learning about population health and became interested in the failings of the American food system.
Small Business Majority submitted testimony to the Colorado Senate Business Labor & Technology Committee in suport of House Bill 21-1167, which would cap retainage for all public and private entities at 5% and allow small construction and subcontract firms to be more competitive against larger firms.
Today, Small Business Majority submitted a letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions urging for members to swiftly confirm Julie Su as President Biden's nominee for Deputy Secretary of Labor. Ms. Su is the current Secretary for the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency and has a distinguished career. Small Business Majority has worked closely with Secretary Su to support workforce issues in California, including the Future of Work Commission and the Employer Training Panel, which she oversaw.
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