The SCORE 2016 Issue 2 | Page 25

By Jessica Loeding S mall-business owners going to the polls in November will be focused on those candidates they see helping to fight the influx of labor regulations being introduced at the local, state and federal level. In the first half of 2016, California and New York adopted measures to push minimum wage to $15, and a final rule was issued by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) on overtime regulations. Although all eyes are on the race for the White House, a bigger battle is brewing on Capitol Hill. This year, 469 seats in the U.S. Congress are up for election – 34 in the Senate and all 435 House seats. The question becomes whether Democrats can take back the Senate. To do so, the party needs to gain five seats. Democrats hold 10 of the positions open in 2016, while 24 belong to Republicans. With battles over minimum wage, paid sick leave and predictive schedul