Small Business Ecosystem Group Letter on Bipartisan Paid Leave Working Group

By SBE Council at 8 March, 2023, 7:34 am

Dear Representatives Allred, Bice, Houlahan, Letlow, Miller-Meeks, and Stevens,

On behalf of the small business ecosystem, including self-employed, micro-businesses and small
businesses, and platforms that primarily support small businesses and entrepreneurs, which the
undersigned organizations represent, we welcome the launch of the House bipartisan paid leave
working group. We support the objectives of the working group to identify and explore paid leave
policy solutions that help support business owners and working families. We also commend the
exploratory and bipartisan nature of this working group.

Paid leave is a critical workforce and competitiveness issue. Like this group, the entrepreneurs and
business communities we represent are of varying backgrounds and unique makeups from across
the country. America’s small businesses employ nearly half the country’s workers with self-employed
business owners making up 81% of these businesses(1). They are a critical element to the economic
vitality of communities across America. We know the ability to secure paid leave for self-employed
business owners or the ability to offer paid leave to employees is important for small businesses to
compete with larger employers. This is especially true in a tight labor market where policies like paid
leave help to attract the talent needed to grow a business.

It’s crucial that the voice of small business – including the self-employed and microbusiness – is
reflected in this policy discussion. As your work begins, we look forward to the opportunity to work
together with your offices to ensure that the small business employer perspective is a part of this
conversation.

Sincerely,

Etsy
Eventbrite
National ACE
National Association for the Self-Employed
National Association of Women Business Owners
National Small Business Association
NextGen Chamber of Commerce
Patreon
Pinterest
Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council
The National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce
U.S. Black Chambers, Inc.
United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Women Impacting Public Policy

1 US Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy: Frequently Asked Questions