East Village Record Store Changes Tune, Slightly, on Paid Sick Leave

From City & State's Heard Around Town: Earlier this week, the operator of an East Village record store told the New York Post ? whose owner, Rupert Murdoch, has drawn attention for criticizing the legislation on Twitter ? that pending paid sick leave legislation, which the New York City Council may or may not vote on, would force him to cut his staff. But in a follow-up interview with City & State, Norman Isaacs, the store operator, said he hadn't been aware of certain details of the legislation, including a planned amendment exempting companies with fewer than five employees. "I wasn't told that there was an exemption like that when I talked to the Post reporter," Isaacs said. He said his staff ranges from three to five employees throughout the year, while several are part-time, which might keep him below the five-employee threshold and allow him to avoid having to provide paid time off when workers get sick if the legislation is passed. All the same, he said he's still opposed to the bill. "I guess I'm against it," he said. "I think that employees do need protection. It's a very troubling thing. It's hard enough to stay in business as a small business owner. The economy is very tough."