Remote work option has helped, LIA acting president says

Local employers, particularly those with large bases of office workers, have leaned into their remote work capacity to navigate the LIRR’s shutdown, said Stacey I. Sikes, acting president and CEO of the Long Island Association business group.

“The good news today is that a lot of employers listened to the message from the governor and the Long Island Rail Road and implemented remote work for employees that can do that,” Sikes said.

Major employers, like Henry Schein, said earlier Monday that its “flexible work-from-home policies” are helping ensure that disruptions to workflow are minimal during the strike.

However, Sikes said that smaller businesses that sell goods directly to customers, particularly those next to currently shuttered train stations, really have no means to deal with the loss of sales.

“We’re still deeply concerned about the impact this will have on small businesses that rely on foot traffic from around the train stations,” Sikes said. “As soon as the LIRR was shut down, these small businesses lost a customer base.”

Speaking with local employers, Sikes said the big question for businesses remains: “How long should we expect to be in this situation?”