Personal accounts from Texas business owners show that local mandates requiring paid sick leave harm small business owners and their employees.

Key points:

  • Several Texas cities have passed mandatory paid sick leave ordinances.
  • Small business owners say the ordinances will harm their ability to keep their lights on and pay their employees.
  • Business owners are in favor of providing benefits to their employees. What they oppose is a government mandate.
  • City governments have passed the ordinances despite business owners expressing their concern and opposition.
  • State-level legislation that would pre-empt these ordinances has failed to pass.