A group of business owners has filed a legal challenge to Pittsburgh’s recently rammed through “sick leave ordinance.”

We warned this would happen in a Policy Brief issued August 6. The ordinance is in clear violation of state law and the City has already lost a similar case in court in 2006. Even though they were warned about the illegality of the bill, the Council and Mayor insisted on passing the bill. The usual political rhetoric about how the City is trying to be on the right side of history rings hollow. Putting people out of work or forcing some businesses to close their doors is hardly on the right side of history. Pointing to Europe as an example of mandated sick leave policies is ironic considering the awful economies and high unemployment in much of the continent.

Eliminating entry level jobs is one of the greatest disservices the City could do to young people looking to get experience and make their own way. Of course, as long as the Federal taxpayers and government borrowing keep the welfare programs coming, the damage to the City is not as visible as high unemployment would cause it to look. But that is only temporary; the long term damage to the economy is unavoidable.

Making the City more friendly toward business owners and entrepreneurs should be the policy.