Greater Lenawee Chamber holding webinar about new requirements for small businesses

TECUMSEH — Beginning Feb. 21, 2025, all small businesses in Michigan will be subject to new minimum wage and paid sick leave requirements, per the result of a decision by the Michigan Supreme Court on July 31, 2024.

To help local Lenawee County businesses understand the changes ahead, the Greater Lenawee Chamber of Commerce has scheduled a webinar titled “Implications of the New Paid Sick Leave Requirements and Minimum Wage Increases” from 9 to 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11.

The webinar is being held in partnership with the Small Business Association of Michigan . It is described as an informative presentation “on issues with the potential to significantly impact your small business,” the GLCC said in an announcement.

Sean Dennis, president and CEO of the Greater Lenawee Chamber of Commerce and Brian Calley, president and CEO of the Small Business Association of Michigan will lead the webinar.

“Starting in February 2025, small businesses in Michigan will be required to provide paid sick leave to employees, and the minimum wage is set to increase. These changes are crucial for all small business owners to understand and prepare for,” the chamber’s announcement said.

Registration to attend the webinar is required. There is no cost. To register, visit tinyurl.com/Small-Business-Association to complete the online registration form, offered through the Small Business Association of Michigan.

From the Detroit Free Press: Michigan Supreme Court strikes down 'adopt and amend,' setting up increase to minimum wage

Those who are experiencing problems during registration can click on the “reset password” tab on the registration webpage or they can send an email to membercare@sbam.org .

Those unable to attend the Sept. 11 webinar will be able to watch a recording of the program which will be available at a later date.

Calley: Lawmakers must move swiftly or risk irreversible harm to Michigan’s economy

After the Michigan Supreme Court’s decision on “Adopt and Amend,” which seeks to increase Michigan’s current minimum wage, eliminate tipped wages for all workers, and places “complex” earned sick time accrual compliance measures in place, Calley issued the following statement:

“Here’s what small businesses need from their state government to be successful: Reasonable and stable public policies. Draconian new mandates that drastically alter employer-employee relationships and impose heavy administrative burdens is the opposite of what empowers small businesses to grow in our communities.

“There is zero doubt among the small business owners we represent at SBAM that these new mandates will have an absolutely devastating effect: reducing planned growth, forcing layoffs and possibly even causing many to close their doors for good.

“Michigan enjoys a diverse economic climate because of small businesses, allowing every community to thrive in its own unique way. Impeding the entrepreneurial climate of our great state is bad for workers, consumers and small businesses. Fixing today’s activist judicial decision should be the top priority for lawmakers.

“This ruling is harmful to tipped workers who overwhelmingly want to keep the current system and will increase costs for Michigan residents, who are already reeling from the stifling inflation of the past few years. To let this ruling stand is to risk irreversible damage to Michigan’s economy. A lack of legislative intervention would communicate a clear message to those in Michigan and those looking to come here: Michigan is not open for small business.

“During a time where policymakers are constantly talking about how to grow our population, these types of policies are not productive or fruitful for our future as a state. We urge lawmakers to act swiftly but deliberately to protect small business owners from the fallout of this unfortunate ruling.”

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Navigating the new paid sick leave and minimum wage regulations

Michigan’s current minimum wage is $10.33 an hour. The state’s Supreme Court’s decision sets a new schedule for yearly increases in the minimum wage, reflecting changes and updates in the pay scale that accounts for inflation between 2018 and 2024.

Concurrently, under the new decision, the biggest change after the ruling may be the eventual elimination of the tipped minimum wage, a lower hourly wage paid to workers like servers and bartenders who are expected to make the bulk of their earnings through tips.

The decision from the Court also requires all employers — including those with fewer than 50 employees — to offer accrual-based paid sick leave to all employees, including part-time. It will require nearly every employer to make changes to the way they accrue sick time, the Small Business Association of Michigan detailed.

— The Detroit Free Press contributed to this report.

— Contact reporter Brad Heineman at bheineman@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @LenaweeHeineman.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Greater Lenawee Chamber holding webinar about new requirements for small businesses