Forced Parental Leave Will Decimate Allegheny County Small Businesses

Originally published by TribLIVE.

Once upon a time, I ran a construction business with my brother, and, like most small business owners, we faced the ceaseless challenge of liquidity. I remember one particularly tight stretch when several customers were late paying their invoices. On paper, the company was healthy. In reality, payroll was due, suppliers needed to be paid and the cash simply wasn’t in the bank yet.

One afternoon, I called my brother and told him I had run the numbers. We realized that if our customers didn’t pay soon, our only option would be to drain every dollar the company had and then start maxing out our personal credit cards to keep our employees paid and the doors open.

That’s the daily struggle for the small business community. It’s a nerve-wracking reality where a few missed invoices can threaten employers’ ability to pay their staff. So many small businesses function with tight margins that even the slightest cost can force them to close shop.

Read more at TribLIVE.