Business Owner Says He May Lay Off Workers To Afford New Law Requiring Paid Sick Days

From the New York Post:

Brooklyn restaurant owner Vinnie Mazzone is steaming over a City Council proposal to require that even small businesses offer paid sick days to their workers.

Mazzone, owner of Chicken Masters in Sheepshead Bay, said the bill would force him to lay off employees — or even shut down.

The restaurateur told The Post it would cost him an additional $13,000 annually because he would have to pay workers who call in sick, as well as pay replacement staff to fill in for them.

A study released this week by the New York City Partnership found that the measure would cost city businesses $789 million annually.

Mazzone’s current policy is requiring a shift swap when someone calls in sick — a policy he said has always worked for his 14 employees in his six years in business.

“Now they switch shifts so that nobody loses anything, and that develops a camaraderie amongst my workers. They look out for each other. Once they’re entitled to a day’s pay, then [they’ll think], ‘Why should I switch? I’ll stay home and get paid and then if I come in Thursday I’ll get paid an extra shift,’ ” he said.

The bill under consideration in the City Council would force employers with staffs of 20 or more people to provide nine paid sick days to each full-time worker annually. Smaller businesses, like Mazzone’s, would be required to offer five days a year.