Fresno barbershop owner says businesses like his need protection from COVID lawsuits

After settling in California and saving my resources for years, I opened up my dream business. I wanted to create a space for families and adults to network and socialize, something more than just a barbershop or a tap house, a home. SipsNClips is a place where all can gather, and has allowed me to pursue my passion of providing confidence to people through haircuts. Even with the COVID-19 restrictions of the past year, I have been fortunate to have the ability to get creative and stay in business.

While we have managed to survive, other businesses are not so lucky — and the worst may be yet to come. Businesses are now facing challenges with the potential to be even more severe than COVID restrictions: lawsuits.

Lost in the noise of who is right about how to handle COVID-19 or when to reopen schools or what businesses might be essential is just how burdensome these shifting sands have become for businesses like mine. Not only are customers changing spending habits and coming into shops less, but compliance with these moving goalposts has become like waving a red cape in front of a bull.

Except in this case, the bulls are plaintiffs’ attorneys.

My work is my passion and I do everything I can to make sure it’s up to code and running properly. Not only do I have to make sure my business is compliant with the latest public safety guidelines on a daily basis, I also have to work overtime to ensure employees and customers are following those guidelines themselves. And even then, 100% safety from COVID-19 is never a guarantee.

Unfortunately for me, and thousands of other businesses like mine, plaintiffs’ lawyers know this. They know that those of us still open and trying to serve customers are operating with little to no wiggle room, and we can’t afford expensive lawsuits.

In a perfect world, this might mean they don’t pick on the little guy, choosing instead to fight someone their own size. But this world is far from perfect, and an easy payday during a global pandemic is music to their ears.

I have worked around the clock to stay open, bring back my employees, and serve customers with the hope that I bring them a small sliver of joy with everything else going on in the world. But I cannot stay open with the constant threat of lawsuits lingering like leftover hair clippings.

The state Legislature has the power to enact civil liability reform to protect small businesses like mine from aggressive, profiteering lawsuits.

Local businesses across the state need this protection. We want to open up, pay employees who could be struggling, and serve customers who need us. We are doing our best to keep everyone safe, and we would appreciate the same protections from our Legislature in return.

Suing us into the ground doesn’t help anyone. That just means more unemployed Californians, unruly haircuts and a slower return to normal. California’s businesses need help, and protecting us from COVID-19 lawsuits is a great place to start.

Joel Alonzo is the owner of SipsNClips, a Fresno barbershop and tap house.