Michigan Small Business Owner Speaks Out on Impact of New Paid Leave and Minimum Wage Legislation
Keeping it Real with Dave Bondy, Thursday February 20, 2025
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PAID LEAVE LEGISLATION COULD DEVASTATE MICHIGAN SMALL BUSINESS & WORKERS
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — As Michigan lawmakers hash out final details on new paid leave and minimum wage legislation, small business owners like David Vander Meer, fourth-generation owner of Vann’s Pastry Shoppe in Grand Rapids, are bracing for impact.
“This is the oldest bakery in Grand Rapids. Our building has only ever been Vann’s Pastry since 1942,” Vander Meer said. Despite the shop’s deep community roots, the looming legislation has him concerned for its future.
The proposed changes could force small businesses to offer paid sick leave, raising questions about cost and employee coverage. “It’s kind of ridiculous it’s come down to this last minute,” Vander Meer said. “I run payroll Monday to Saturday, and here we are on Friday, trying to figure out how this will affect next week’s pay.”
Under one version of the bill, businesses with fewer than 10 employees would have to provide 40 hours of paid sick time annually, while larger businesses would need to offer up to 72 hours, including 32 unpaid. Vander Meer worries about the strain this will place on his already tight margins. “I’ve been ready to lower prices on donuts, but tomorrow they may have to go up,” he explained.
The Mackinac Center for Public Policy explain in the following video what the paid leave and minimum wage issue is all about:
Beyond the financial strain, Vander Meer fears the legislation could force him to change how he manages his team. “I’m already flexible with my workers. But if this passes, I’ll have to tighten things up. It puts more onus on me to manage who calls in and why.”
He also addressed misconceptions about small business owners. “People think we’re rolling in money, but that’s far from the truth. We’re out here doing something we love, fighting tooth and nail to survive,” he said.
With hours left before potential enactment, Vander Meer hopes lawmakers will consider the real-world impact. “They’ve had time to get this right. It shouldn’t have come down to the wire.”
Same thing was passed in Missouri. As an employer I am not happy about it.
Demonrats once again trying to put the little guy out of business. They might just succeed this time. My first job was with a small business. I would never have thought to ask for time off. The one time I needed it, someone who hadn't worked there as long as I did got the time. It was a school function or I never would have asked.