A brief article in the Denver Post caught our eye last Thursday.  Here at StaffScapes, we have been posting on Denver’s Initiative 300 for the past few months with updates and thoughts on this proposal.  According to the Denver Post, the Institute for Women’s Policy Research  has released a study indicating that “earned paid sick days for Denver workers would help reduce the spread of illness in schools and would potentially reduce teachers and student absences”. 

However, according to a survey conducted by the Denver Metro Small Business Development Center, small businesses see a different picture.  Many business owners feel that if passed, this initiative would force them to reduce hiring and even cut staff benefits.  In fact, according to the survey, 85 percent of respondents in Denver feel the measure would make it harder to do businesses in the city.

At StaffScapes, part of our specialization includes helping small business owners attract and retain employees. We believe that a comprehensive benefits package that offers time off for illness is necessary. However, mandating all businesses to offer the same benefit in our opinion is restrictive to free enterprise and our position is to vote No on Denver’s Initiative 300.