Small Businesses Fearing COVID-19 Litigation

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce — the world’s largest business organization representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes — has reported that two-thirds (67%) of small businesses with 20-500 employees and a majority (51%) of small businesses with 5-19 employees are worried about the possibility of lawsuits related to the coronavirus.  

To that end, there is a groundswell of support for the creation of temporary ‘safe harbor’ protections to give employers some degree of assurance that if they follow public health guidelines, they won’t face further financial hardships through unwarranted lawsuits. The chamber notes that bad actors and companies that engage in gross negligence or willful misconduct should be held accountable — high standards that border on intentional conduct.

The US Chamber — which already runs an advocacy website that examines what the Chamber perceives as lawsuit abuse — has created a video series entitled “Small Business Owners Fear Potential COVID Lawsuits: A Series”. This series features several first-person stories of businesses grappling with the nuts & bolts of reopening during the pandemic. Presently, there are only a few videos on there, but they tell powerful stories that business leaders should watch. Check it out.