SB 72 strengthens Pennsylvania's Construction Workplace Misclassification Act by increasing penalties for employers who wrongly classify workers as independent contractors. It adds criminal penalties (misdemeanors to felonies based on prior offenses), creates a private right for misclassified employees to sue for triple back pay plus attorney fees, and expands debarment authority to exclude violators from public construction projects for up to five years. The bill directly affects construction employers, workers on public projects, and contractors doing state work, while prohibiting retaliation against those reporting violations. These changes aim to enforce proper worker classification and compensation under the existing 2010 law.
SB 478 establishes Pennsylvania's Office of Employee Ownership within the Department of Community and Economic Development to support employee-owned businesses. It creates an Employee Ownership Advisory Board and a Main Street Employee Ownership Grant Program to provide technical assistance, financial aid, and education to businesses meeting specific employee ownership criteria (like worker cooperatives, employee stock ownership plans, or broad profit-sharing programs). The Office will track employee-owned businesses statewide, identify barriers to their growth, and submit annual reports to legislative committees. This bill directly affects businesses seeking to convert to or maintain employee ownership structures across Pennsylvania.
HB 1334 allocates funding from the Workmen's Compensation Administration Fund to Pennsylvania's Department of Labor and Industry, Department of Community and Economic Development, and the Office of Small Business Advocate. It covers expenses for administering the Workers' Compensation Act, Pennsylvania Occupational Disease Act, and the Small Business Advocate program for fiscal year 2025-2026, including payments for unpaid bills from the prior fiscal year. The bill directly affects state agencies responsible for worker compensation, occupational disease claims, and small business support services. This is a routine appropriations measure to ensure ongoing operations of these programs, not a policy change. The bill was signed into law as Act No. 3A of 2025 on June 27, 2025.
SB 101 amends Pennsylvania's Workforce Development Act to improve data access and accountability for local workforce boards. It requires these boards to use new hire and unemployment data (from the state's new hire database) when developing local plans, while allowing written exemption requests. The bill mandates a state-developed "data dashboard" displaying workforce data (like job placements and wages) in an accessible format, with free technical assistance provided by the Department of Labor and Industry. These changes directly affect local workforce development boards, the Department of Labor, and agencies using workforce data for program evaluation and reporting. Funding for the dashboard and technical assistance comes exclusively from the state's unemployment compensation reemployment fund.
SB 162 is an appropriations bill that allocates funds from the Workmen's Compensation Administration Fund for the fiscal year July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. It provides $87,302,000 to the Department of Labor and Industry to cover expenses for administering the Workers' Compensation Act and The Pennsylvania Occupational Disease Act. Additionally, the bill appropriates $550,000 to the Office of Small Business Advocate within the Department of Community and Economic Development for its operations. These funds also cover any unpaid bills incurred at the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025.
SB 166 is an appropriations bill that allocates funds for the operational expenses of the State Employees' Retirement Board. It appropriates $39,795,000 from the State Employees' Retirement Fund and $5,979,000 from the SERS Defined Contribution Fund. These funds are designated to cover salaries, travel, contractual services, and other costs necessary for the board to manage state employee retirement plans. The appropriations apply to the fiscal year from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, and also cover any unpaid bills from the prior fiscal year.
SB 428, known as the General Appropriation Act of 2025, allocates funds from the state's General Fund to support various agencies within the Executive Department. It provides money for their expenses, such as salaries, services, and equipment, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and also covers any unpaid bills from the prior fiscal year. For instance, the bill specifically appropriates $15 million for workforce development programs managed by the Department of Community and Economic Development. Any unspent funds will lapse at the end of the fiscal year.
SB 113 establishes new rules for investigating misconduct by Pennsylvania correctional and forensic employees (e.g., prison staff, forensic facility workers). It requires recorded interrogations, informs employees of their right to legal counsel, prohibits using polygraph tests or threatening job loss to compel statements, and mandates paid suspensions during investigations unless criminal charges are filed. The bill ensures union contracts cannot weaken these protections and prohibits retaliation against employees exercising these rights. It also clarifies that investigations must follow specific procedures to protect employee rights during disciplinary processes.
SB 153 amends Pennsylvania's 1936 Unemployment Compensation Law to clarify when unemployed workers may lose benefits. It adds specific rules making workers ineligible if they unreasonably discourage their own hiring - such as skipping job interviews without good cause or refusing referrals before discussing job details. Employers can now report such behavior to the state, and the Department of Labor must create forms for this process within 90 days. The bill directly affects workers claiming unemployment benefits by tightening eligibility standards around job search efforts.
