John:

Did you have a chance to sign and share the petition below calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to immediately suspend AB5 and to stop using the Coronavirus federal aid to punish small businesses that have independent contractors?

Please help us send a message ASAP — here’s the petition link!

Hope you are staying healthy — we’re continuing to speak out and fight for common-sense in California every day on radio and through Reform California!

-Carl


From: Carl DeMaio
Subject: Gov. Newsom Abusing Coronavirus Aid
Date: Friday, March 3, 2020

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At a time when millions of Californians have lost their jobs due to the Coronavirus shutdowns, Gov. Gavin Newsom and Sacramento Democrats are intent on punishing struggling small businesses and out-of-work independent contractors. What’s worse is they are shamefully using the federal bailout funds to do it!

Please read my op-ed below that lays out how California politicians need to suspend or repeal AB5 — the fatally-flawed law that went into effect January 1 of this year that essentially bans independent contractor work in California and imposes penalties on small businesses.

We need to get this story out to EVERYONE you know — voters, independent contractors, business owners, etc. What Newsom is doing right now with AB5 has the potential to hurt millions of Californians.

More importantly, we are trying to gather thousands of signatures online to demand Gov. Newsom act NOW and suspend AB 5. Please sign and share that petition today at DefendFreedomtoWork.org

Now is the time to help those who have lost work — and the way we do that is to hold California politicians accountable for any unnecessary burdens they are imposing on small businesses or workers.

Best,
Carl DeMaio

PS: Here’s my op-ed with the full story:


Now is the Time to Help, Not Hurt Small Businesses in California

By Carl DeMaio

If Governor Gavin Newsom and California Democrats really wanted to help struggling small businesses and millions of unemployed California workers they would immediately suspend or repeal a variety of damaging and costly taxes, mandates and regulations that have been choking the California economy for years.

At the top of the list of relief should be the repeal of AB5.

Last year Governor Newsom and the Democrats passed AB5 into law to ban the use of independent contractors in California and impose stiff penalties on small businesses for hiring independent contractors. AB5 is an outrageous attempt to deprive Californians of the freedom to work, destroy the once-booming “gig” economy, and boost government tax revenues by forcing independent contractors and their clients to pay higher employment taxes.

Even before the Coronavirus, AB5 had devastated hundreds of thousands of workers already — and now AB5 is one of the biggest obstacles for unemployed Californians seeking what little work is available.

Gov. Newsom has the power to suspend AB 5 completely so small businesses and independent contractors can find work during these challenging times. I want to commend Assemblyman Kevin Kiley for leading the fight to ask the Governor to do this, but Newsom has refused to do it.

What’s worse, Gov. Newsom is weaponizing the Coronavirus federal bailout program to enforce AB5 and punish small businesses and independent contractors.

President Trump wisely included independent contractors in the unemployment insurance provisions of the federal Coronavirus bailout program since many have lost their clients during the shutdown.

Unfortunately, Gov. Newsom has instructed the state’s Unemployment Insurance Program to use the federal bailout funds to collect data and evidence from independent contractors when they seek the unemployment benefits to build enforcement cases against small businesses that used independent contractors after January 1, when AB5 went into effect.

I have heard from many independent contractors who fear if they apply for federal unemployment benefits, they will get their small business clients in trouble under AB5.

Punishing struggling small businesses and independent contractors is NOT what we need during this economic crisis.

If California politicians are serious about helping ease the economic impact of Coronavirus they need to start by repealing or suspending AB5.

Concerned taxpayers who agree that California politicians should suspend or repeal AB 5 can help send a message today by signing this petition: DefendFreedomtoWork.org

Carl DeMaio is Chairman of Reform California.





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