Small businesses suffered brunt of July heatwaves

Small businesses suffered brunt of July heatwaves

Web Desk
August 2, 2023

Small businesses suffered brunt of July heatwaves

A recent report highlights the toll of record-breaking heatwaves on small businesses and their workers across the United States.

During July, dangerous temperatures forced many small businesses to close early, leading to reduced working hours for employees due to changes in consumer behavior caused by the scorching heat.

The extreme heat advisories affected millions of Americans, especially in the South and Southwest regions, where historic highs were recorded. Consequently, fewer customers ventured outdoors, resulting in financial losses for small businesses.

According to the report by Homebase, a small business payroll company, nationally, small business employees worked 0.9% fewer hours during the first two weeks of July compared to the last two weeks of June.

However, cities experiencing the worst of the heatwave saw significantly higher reductions, with some employees working up to 5.7% less.

For example, businesses in New Orleans and Memphis faced challenges, with owners shortening business hours to cope with reduced customer traffic and protect workers from excessive heat exposure.

Danah Lee, an employee at Willie’s Taco Joint in Phoenix, shared the impact on businesses and employees. “Not only is it affecting our business, but it’s affecting my team.

Working long hours in this heat is very hard. I’ve had to have more people on my schedule, working shorter shifts to make sure we have no heat exhaustion,” said Lee.

The heatwave crisis has raised concerns about worker safety, particularly in labor-intensive outdoor industries. While some employers adjusted worker hours to earlier in the day when temperatures were lower, there is no federal oversight mandating such accommodations in some states.

Travis Parsons, director of occupational safety and health for the Laborers International Union of North America, expressed concern about workers’ vulnerability to heat-related injuries.

“It’s more relevant now than ever. It’s always been an issue in my 20 plus years, but it seems to be really in the spotlight,” said Parsons.

As small businesses grapple with the heatwave’s impact on their operations and workers’ well-being, calls for increased awareness and safety measures are growing.

The extreme heat presents a significant challenge for businesses and employees alike, emphasizing the need for authorities and employers to prioritize measures that safeguard worker health during such unprecedented weather conditions.

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