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How to Stay Informed About Legislation Affecting Your Small Business
In the day-to-day work of running your business, how often do you have time to consider recent employment legislation and its effects on HR and your business?
For example:
The simple reality is that legislation made at every level of government has a ripple effect on the vitality of small businesses, even though business owners may be unaware of such legislation or unable to see its far-reaching effects.
Syndeo diligently stays abreast of legislative changes affecting our clients and tirelessly works to advocate for legislation that positively impacts small businesses.
During National PEO Week, Syndeo founder Bill Maness and Chief Information Officer Jenna Marceau attended the National Association of Professional Employment Organizations (NAPEO) Legislative Summit held on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. They spent time educating legislators on current issues that are impacting small businesses.
“We are confident that having a strong presence in DC gives us a voice for small businesses that wouldn’t be there otherwise,” said Maness. “Through NAPEO and this Summit, we are representing all small businesses, not just our clients. We can get legislators to listen because, although they receive votes from individual employees, their funding and support come from employers.”
By leveraging the federal and state-recognized influence of PEOs, Bill, Jenna, and other PEO partners, we brought awareness to common issues facing small businesses and the PEO industry, which significantly impact the economy.
“Our goal is to maintain a regulatory environment conducive to the growth and success of small businesses and, in turn, PEOs,” said Marceau. “We also advocate for laws and regulations that recognize the support and unique value PEOs bring to small businesses, such as co-employment.”
The government often advocates for employees, but it burdens the employer with the responsibility to protect employees' rights. Unfortunately, legislation that benefits employees is usually to the detriment of employers.
“I learned early on in my career that employers are non-compensated, highly penalized tax collectors and curers of all social ills,” said Maness. “Obviously, they need someone in their corner helping them navigate what has become the complex nature of taking care of employees.”
The priority for Maness and Marceau was to champion small businesses. More than 80 percent of the workforce is employed by small to mid-sized businesses, which are the primary drivers of the economy at local, state, and federal levels. Representing the interests of small businesses — namely Syndeo clients - but taking all small businesses into account, Maness and Marceau were a voice seeking to create favorable legislative environments for small businesses and PEOs that support them in operating. They spoke with Kansas representatives and senators, as well as with committees that impact small businesses, such as the House and Senate Ways and Means Committees and the Senate Finance Committee.
There were several pieces of legislation on the docket that NAPEO teams lobbied their representatives about: the ERTC (Employment Recovery Tax Credit) that is currently stalled by the IRS, adding clarity and definition to joint-employer legislation, and addressing the discussion about overtime pay and the adverse effects of the proposed change in the FLSA legislation.
“The advocacy we do on Capitol Hill every year is the behind-the-scenes work we do on behalf of our clients,” said Maness. “It doesn’t show up in payroll; it doesn’t show up in benefits. But it does show in the form of legislation that affects all employers. That’s why it’s so important that we continue to make an effort to bring awareness to small business interests and the PEO industry.”
Participating in the NAPEO Legislative Summit also provides legislators with PEO resources to contact when considering upcoming legislation.
“Because we are giving voice to the concerns of small businesses, we’re included in the conversation on the forefront of helping craft legislation,” said Maness. “Co-employment uniquely requires consideration of how impending legislation might be enforced. We help them think through the repercussions new policies or policy changes have on small business.”
The PEO representatives play a crucial role in the legislative process. They consider numerous legislative pieces currently under discussion and assist our legislators in questioning the broad and trickle-down effects on small business owners. This is particularly important for businesses that are already stretched thin.
Sometimes, legislators are unaware of or haven’t fully considered the impact a piece of legislation might have on certain types of small businesses. In that case, building a recognizable relationship with representatives in Congress is important so they know that Syndeo is a resource they can contact to gain multiple perspectives on the unforeseen or unintended consequences of proposed legislation.
Syndeo brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and insight that can provide these decision-makers with feedback as they consider and discuss policies.
In the PEO industry, numerous peer companies of Syndeo actively monitor legislation that might be used unfavorably against all PEOs. This intensive collaboration distinguishes the PEO industry. Additionally, there is a need to be mindful of the broader implications or potential cascading effects of specific legislation in various states, as these can extend widely.
“We have to know and understand how employment laws differ across states. Knowing the legislation and our peers is highly beneficial,” said Marceau. “The annual Legislative Summit allows PEOs to learn from one another and collectively address common challenges.”
Through consistent year-over-year efforts to amplify the influence of PEOs in D.C., Syndeo has been pivotal as a central hub representing numerous businesses and, crucially, constituents of our Congressional representatives. Our collective voice stands out due to our extensive representation and the influence we wield to drive meaningful change.
“Running a business, producing your product, and managing customers is a significant undertaking in itself. Business owners are maxed out just handling those tasks, they don’t have the time, money, or resources to handle all the complex regulatory changes even though they bear the burden of it. The beauty of a PEO like Syndeo is we come in with hard-earned knowledge and expertise and manage all of the burdensome admin work on their behalf,” said Maness.
Syndeo helps improve overall business efficiencies, including operation backend and office administrative pieces that the businesses themselves are not in business to support. We help them understand, process, and take action on legislation that could negatively affect their business operations.
“Clients hire us to do all the HR stuff that’s a problem for them. And in doing it, we take that problem away,” said Maness. “While more regulation is not good for business, it does drive business owners to turn to HR experts like us — either they hire someone to deal with it on their behalf or learn to deal with it themselves through the school of hard knocks. We want to take good care of our employer-clients so that they can take good care of their employees. Good employers take care of their people. Bad employers go out of business. It’s really that simple: taking care of each other. That’s what small businesses do.”
If you want to learn more about current legislation affecting HR and your business, contact Syndeo at (316) 630-9107. What legislative concerns do you have that will affect your business? Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to our newsletter for more thought-provoking HR content from Syndeo. To learn more about how outsourced HR services can get you back to business, contact Syndeo today!
Let us take on your HR functions so you can strive for greatness.
Contact us.
