Council voting on biz owners' bill of rights

Some days are better for business in New York City than others.

Tuesday morning, the City Council heard testimony on a prevailing wage bill then met again to consider a law requiring businesses to provide paid sick days to employees. Wednesday, however, the salt of government regulation may be replaced with something of a sweetener.

The City Council is expected to pass a business owner's bill of rights that would advise businesses in writing of their rights during a city inspection. The bill has sped through the council since it was introduced March 25 and has the support of both City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

A centerpiece of Ms. Quinn's agenda is making it easier for small companies to do business in the city by cutting bureaucratic red tape. Last month, Ms. Quinn announced, with Mr. Bloomberg, 14 measures they believe will make it easier for small businesses to comply with city regulations. Chief among them was the business bill of rights, which would be written in plain English to help business owners deal more easily with the city.

The measures would also allow business owners to contest violations without having to appear at a hearing in person and resolve violations before automatic fines are levied. The bill will also use plain language to demystify regulations.

But such legislative goodwill has not tempered forceful business opposition against the more substantive legislation of paid sick days across the board and prevailing wages at city-subsidized developments.

The paid sick-day leave would require companies with 20 or more employees to provide nine paid sick days or 72 hours off a year; companies with fewer than 20 employees would have to offer five sick days or 40 hours a year. The prevailing wage bill would apply to office cleaners, residential building workers and security guards at buildings that receive city funding.

Both bills have enough votes in the City Council to override a mayoral veto, though the support of Ms. Quinn will be crucial to make the legislation law.

A tense exchange during Tuesday's hearing on paid sick leave highlighted the sometimes uneasy relationship between the business community and the City Council.

Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce president and Chief Executive Carl Hum tried to dispute assertions that about 1.2 million workers in New York City do not have paid sick leave. Mr. Hum said that number was grossly overestimated. It would mean nearly half of the work force in the city—about 42%—could not take paid sick days.

“It boggles the mind,” Mr. Hum said.

City Councilman Brad Lander was quick to refute Mr. Hum.

“It does boggle the mind,” he said. “That's why we're here.”

Wednesday's City Council meeting is likely to be a much more business-friendly affair.