Small Business Association of Michigan: Today’s Supreme Court ruling will reduce future small business growth, puts Michigan’s entrepreneurial climate at risk

Calley: Lawmakers must move swiftly or risk irreversible harm to Michigan’s economy

Brian Calley, President & CEO of the Small Business Association of Michigan, issued the following statement after the Michigan Supreme Court’s decision on ‘Adopt and Amend’, increasing Michigan’s current minimum wage, eliminating tipped wages for all workers, and putting complex earned sick time accrual compliance measures in place:

“Here’s what small businesses need from their state government to be successful: Reasonable and stable public policies. Draconian new mandates that drastically alter employer-employee relationships and impose heavy administrative burdens is the opposite of what empowers small businesses to grow in our communities.

“There is zero doubt among the small business owners we represent at SBAM that these new mandates will have an absolutely devastating effect: reducing planned growth, forcing layoffs and possibly even causing many to close their doors for good.

“Michigan enjoys a diverse economic climate because of small businesses, allowing every community to thrive in its own unique way. Impeding the entrepreneurial climate of our great state is bad for workers, consumers and small businesses. Fixing today’s activist judicial decision should be the top priority for lawmakers.

“This ruling is harmful to tipped workers who overwhelmingly want to keep the current system and will increase costs for Michigan residents, who are already reeling from the stifling inflation of the past few years. To let this ruling stand is to risk irreversible damage to Michigan’s economy. A lack of legislative intervention would communicate a clear message to those in Michigan and those looking to come here: Michigan is not open for small business.

“During a time where policymakers are constantly talking about how to grow our population, these types of policies are not productive or fruitful for our future as a state. We urge lawmakers to act swiftly but deliberately to protect small business owners from the fallout of this unfortunate ruling.”