NFIB New York State Director Ashley Ranslow has commented on the American Tort Reform Foundation's latest "Judicial Hellholes" report, which places New York City as the second worst in the nation.
Ranslow stated, "Small business owners are not surprised to see New York near the top of this list. There is no doubt that New Yorkers need meaningful reform to stop lawsuit abuse and help protect small businesses from predatory practices and litigation." She emphasized that small employers already face numerous economic challenges, and this report underscores the judicial burdens imposed by pro-trial litigators prioritizing personal interests.
She further elaborated on specific issues faced by businesses: "The predatory frequency of pay lawsuits victimizing small- and medium-sized businesses the past few years are but the latest and most outrageous example of such lawsuit abuse." According to Ranslow, Main Street businesses have paid employees for all hours worked but were penalized due to a lower state court ruling for paying biweekly or semimonthly. This situation has led to significant financial damages detrimental to job creation.
The data indicates that residents in New York incur an annual "tort tax" exceeding $2,318.79, with over 418,355 jobs lost each year because of high tort costs.
The full report is available for viewing online.
