Facebook Linkedin X-twitter Instagram Youtube
Main Menu

Chamber in the News

Back to Chamber News

Find value in these articles?

Join the Michigan Chamber and get them sent directly to you.
Join the MI Chamber Today!

Wrapping Up 2024 and Looking Ahead to 2025 

Dec. 30, 2024 

As we reflect on 2024 and look ahead to 2025, this past year has been defined by growth and an even deeper commitment to the Michigan Chamber’s core mission: protecting, connecting and strengthening our state’s businesses to build a stronger Michigan for all. 

Why it matters: The recent elections underscored that the economy matters. A lot. But also that political polarization still runs deep and there are many policy issues we have got to come together to solve. There is also an ever-quickening pace of change with technology transforming how we work and do business. That is why:  

  • We are going to be relentless on our advocacy efforts, helping policymakers and Michiganders understand that businesses are not the enemy and showcasing how employers and entrepreneurs of all sizes and industries play a vital role in creating meaningful job opportunities and driving shared prosperity. 
  • We are growing programming like MiBiz360 to address pressing HR and talent issues facing Michigan businesses and Michigan ATHENA to foster leadership development and connections. 
  • We are expanding the National Civics Bee across Michigan to help build the next generation of informed, engaged leaders. 
  • We are adding products and services like our new HR Support Center to help members and businesses get the answers and resources they need and save time and money. 

Thank you for being part of the Michigan Chamber. Your membership and engagement make a real difference. We’re stronger, together.  

Here’s our summary of top results for businesses in 2024 and what’s on deck for the New Year. As always, please reach out to share your feedback and ideas. 

TOP RESULTS FOR BUSINESSES IN 2024: 

  • Launched major coalitions on big issues. The Michigan Chamber led coalitions around key issues impacting Michigan employers, including on earned sick time, paid family leave, independent contractors, workers’ compensation, so-called polluter pay legislation, and more. These coalitions amplified the business community’s voice, built public awareness, and highlighted the unintended consequences of these anti-business legislative proposals. 
  • Achieved big wins on many anti-business, anti-growth proposals, none of which made it to the Governor’s desk in 2023-24: 
    • Local employment laws  – Opposed efforts that would have allowed Michigan’s 1,800 local governments to impose wage and benefit mandates on local businesses, creating a patchwork of local minimum wage, paid sick leave, predictive scheduling, and other restrictive employment law mandates. 
    • Workers’ compensation – Opposed aggressive and costly changes to the workers’ compensation system. Had the legislation passed, workers’ comp losses – and premiums – would have increased by upward of 40 percent.   
    • Labor’s wish-list  – Opposed a lengthy list of items being pushed by organized labor, including new restrictions on the use of independent contractors, efforts to eliminate the use of non-compete agreements, mandate wage transparency, create refundable tax credits for union dues, criminalize wage and fringe benefit violations, implement barriers to using temporary staffing agencies, and more.  
    • Health insurance mandates – Opposed legislative efforts to mandate what must be covered by all health insurance plans, limiting the flexibility of employers and employees to design plans that meet their needs and pocketbooks. 
    • New avenues for litigation against regulated entities and professions – Opposed legislation that would have allowed over 80 different regulated entities and professions to be sued under the Michigan Consumer Protection Act – layering these lawsuits on top of what remedies might already be available to consumers under the business or entity’s regulatory statute.  
    • Data privacy – Opposed legislation that would have put in place a “Personal Data Privacy Act” (Act), creating a patchwork approach and limiting the ability of Michigan businesses to responsibly utilize data-driven approaches, such as email marketing, targeted advertising and customer retention efforts including loyalty programs. 
    • So-called polluter pay – Opposed legislation that would have halted brownfield redevelopment, creating new barriers to the cleanup of contaminated sites in the state and financially burdening certain companies if they handle regulated chemicals.  
    • Trash Tax – Opposed an effort to significantly increase the cost of all waste disposal, with proposals ranging from doubling the current rate of 36 cents per ton to increases over 100% to 5 dollars per ton.  
  • Continued tackling the talent crisis. Advocated for and secured state funding to help break down key barriers to employability, and helping employers connect with and build their talent pipelines: 
    • Skill building – Pushed for continued state dollars to help employers upskill and train more employees and meet growing demand through the Going PRO Talent Fund ($54.75 million).  
    • Affordable childcare – Support of the important MI Tri-Share program, a collaborative private-public partnership between employers, employees and the state to help increase affordable, accessible childcare to working parents. 
    • Workforce attainable housing – Housing support included $100 million in one-time funding, including $15 million for homeowner down payment assistance. Both should help with Michigan’s workforce attainable housing supply. 
    • Offered EmergeSkilled, an innovative online tool that connects businesses with students who have in-demand skills they need now while building a talent pipeline. Hundreds of businesses and tens of thousands of students are now on the platform. 
    • Continued a partnership between the MI Chamber and Salary.com to provide Michigan businesses with exclusive savings on benchmark job reports and salary surveys to help businesses know they are offering the right pay to recruit and retain talent. 
  • Brought members timely Signature events and education opportunities. More than 5,000 Chamber members and Michigan businesses joined us for 53 virtual and in-person events, including Michigan ATHENA (our women’s leadership series), Chamber Day, the MiBiz360 Talent & HR Summit, State of Michigan Business Outlook, and several webinars on hot topics like the coming Earned Sick Time Act and minimum wage law changes. A BIG thank you to all our sponsors, speakers and attendees.
    • We hope you  check out our programming for 2025!
    • For increasing brand awareness or thought leadership through sponsorship or speaking opportunities, please contact Amanda Toy at atoy@michamber.com or visit here. 
  • Grew the MI Business Matters podcast, talking with key business movers and shakers and policymakers on the relevant and timely issues affecting our state’s job providers, economy, workforce, and communities. More than 85,000 downloads and listens/views in 2024. Got an idea or want to be a guest or sponsor, let us know.  
  • Supported more than 2,000 MI Chamber members with their business problems and questions. If you’ve got feedback, or a policy challenge, please reach out or fill out this quick form here – just scroll to the bottom of the page. 
  • Kept over 9,300 labor law poster customer locations compliant with real-time updates. Expanded digital notices for remote and hybrid employees. Required state changes coming in 2025 – make sure to  pre-order yours. You can trust us with your compliance needs – we deliver! 
  • Conducted dozens of utility bill reviews for Michigan businesses in partnership with Tenurgy, helping find significant savings for 9 out of 10 participants, and peace of mind for the other 10%.  Learn more about this no-risk, no-obligation program today. 
  • Helped several small business members start a 401(k) for their employees and reduce their fees and risks. This is a leading benefit the workforce values and partner TriStar provides this top-notch solution with the Michigan Multiple Employer Plan, or MiMEP for short. See how you can harness this program for your business and teams. 

2025 – What It Might Bring: The Michigan Chamber team will remain focused on our pillars to “Protect. Connect. Strengthen.” and our commitment to pragmatic problem solving, including: 

  • Fixing the Earned Sick Time Act and minimum wage laws under a bipartisan government. The House and Senate will convene for their two-year session on Jan. 10, 2025. The MI Chamber will be asking lawmakers to prioritize fixes to these laws in early 2025 and to get legislation across the finish line before the laws are slated to effect on Feb. 21.   
  • Advocating for fiscal restraint. The fiscal year (FY) 2024-25 state budget exploded over the last two years to a total of $82.5 billion. The MI Chamber will continue to advocate for fiscal constraint and responsibility with a focus on smart, strategic investments. 
  • Seeking opportunities for bipartisanship. The Legislature will return to Lansing in January for the start of the 2025-26 legislative session under bipartisan control (Republicans controlling the MI House, Democrats controlling the Senate). The MI Chamber will continue to work with any lawmaker, regardless of party, to move our state forward.   
  • Pushing for fixes to our roads, bridges and other infrastructure. The MI Chamber will continue to push for allowing sand and gravel to be sourced closer to infrastructure construction sites to reduce taxpayer costs on infrastructure projects. In addition, we will continue to advocate for sustainable funding to ensure Michigan’s roads and bridges are in “good” and “excellent” condition. 
  • Helping businesses via the HR Support Center. This is our newest resource available to MI Chamber members and Michigan businesses, offering practical, expert guidance with partner BCN Services to navigate the complexities of workforce management and employment law.  
  • Growing Michigan Chamber Foundation event offerings, programs and initiatives, including: 
    • The enhanced MiBiz360 Talent & HR Series to connect and help busy HR professionals, or those wearing an HR hat – especially in small to mid-size businesses – get actionable insights and ‘must knows’ from industry and employment law experts. The series features monthly webinars with live Q&A along with an in-person summit in March, and much more. Each opportunity offers SHRM and HRCI continuing education credits. 
    • The growing, in-demand MI ATHENA Series and new membership option, a premier women’s community, from entry-level professionals to C-Suite executives, to connect, collaborate and grow professionally and personally. Access exclusive networking opportunities, a wide array of educational tools and resources, and our virtual events and always sold-out Leadership Summit. 
    • Expanding the National Civics Bee in Michigan. In partnership with The Civic Trust, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and several local and regional chambers, be on the lookout for this exciting event engaging middle school students from across the state to learn more about civic engagement and contribute to their communities.  

Do you have questions for us? Policy ideas or other needs for the new year? We would love to hear from you. Contact our MI Chamber team today or by visiting the links here. 

Here’s to a healthy, prosperous new year for all!