Labor & Employment

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jul 1, 2025

HB 1688: An Act amending the act of December 5, 1936 (2nd Sp.Sess., 1937 P.L.2897, No.1), known as the Unemployment Compensation Law, in compensation, further providing for rate and amount of compensation.

HB 1688 updates Pennsylvania's unemployment compensation law to adjust the calculation method for weekly benefit amounts. It sets a minimum weekly benefit of $68 (previously lower) and revises the wage-to-benefit table, linking higher average quarterly wages to increased weekly payments (e.g., wages of $1,688-$1,712 now yield $68 weekly). This directly affects unemployed Pennsylvania workers who qualify for state unemployment benefits, ensuring their payments align with current wage levels. The bill modifies specific sections of the 1936 law governing benefit rates without changing eligibility rules or employer contributions.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentIncreases minimum weekly unemployment benefits to $68 and links higher wages to increased payments, strengthening worker financial support under unemployment compensation law.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Minimum Wage Unemployment Workers' Compensation

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Aug 10, 2025

HB 1785: An Act amending the act of June 2, 1915 (P.L.736, No.338), known as the Workers' Compensation Act, in liability and compensation, further providing for compensation for cancer.

HB 1785 amends Pennsylvania's Workers' Compensation Act to expand coverage for certain cancers diagnosed in workers. It directly affects employees who develop cancer linked to job-related exposures, such as hazardous chemicals or radiation, that were previously not covered under the act. The key provision adds specific cancers to the list of occupational illnesses eligible for compensation, removing the need for workers to prove direct causation beyond standard workplace hazards. The bill is currently pending in the Labor & Industry committee after being referred on August 10, 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands workers' compensation coverage for job-related cancer, removing proof-of-causation barriers and directly increasing healthcare access for affected workers.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands workers' compensation for occupational cancer, removing causation burden and adding covered illnesses - directly strengthens worker benefits under Labor & Employment.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Workers' Compensation

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jul 22, 2025

HB 1751: An Act establishing the Office of Employee Ownership within the Department of Community and Economic Development; establishing the Employee Ownership Advisory Board; establishing the Main Street Employee Ownership Grant Program; and providing technical and financial assistance to employee-owned enterprises.

HB 1751 creates a new Office of Employee Ownership within the state's Department of Community and Economic Development to support employee-owned businesses. It establishes an Employee Ownership Advisory Board to guide the program and a Main Street Employee Ownership Grant Program to provide funding for these businesses. The bill also directs the state to offer technical and financial assistance to help employee-owned enterprises grow and operate. This bill directly affects employee-owned businesses seeking support, grants, and guidance through state programs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates state-funded grant program and office to support employee-owned businesses, increasing government spending on economic development initiatives.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates state office, grants, and assistance to support employee-owned businesses, advancing worker ownership models which strengthen labor rights.95% confidence

Tags Small Business

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Jan 24, 2025

SB 179: An Act amending the act of August 15, 1961 (P.L.987, No.442), known as the Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act, further providing for remedies and penalties.

SB 179 amends Pennsylvania's Prevailing Wage Act to strengthen penalties for contractors who intentionally underpay workers on public projects. It establishes tiered debarment periods: 3 years for unpaid wages under $1 million, 5 years for $1-10 million, and 10 years for over $10 million. This directly affects contractors who violate prevailing wage laws, barring them from winning future public contracts during these periods. The bill also authorizes the Secretary of Labor to request the Attorney General to recover penalties for the state. These changes aim to enforce compliance with prevailing wage requirements on public construction projects.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentStrengthens prevailing wage enforcement with tiered penalties, protecting workers' right to fair pay on public projects.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Feb 4, 2025

HB 470: An Act providing for meal breaks or rest periods for employees; and imposing penalties.

HB 470 requires employers with 15 or more employees in Pennsylvania to provide a paid 30-minute meal break or rest period after five consecutive hours of work. This applies to all covered employees, with exemptions for union contracts that already provide equivalent or better break rights and during workplace emergencies. Employers violating the law face penalties of $100-$500 per affected employee per missed break, with additional recovery of lost wages for workers. The bill takes effect 90 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates paid 30-min breaks after 5 hours for covered workers with penalties for violations, directly strengthening workplace safety and employment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Labor Standards Paid Leave

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Sep 2, 2025

HB 1580: An Act providing for regulations for employers to protect employees from heat-related injury or heat-related illness caused by heat stress; imposing duties on the Department of Labor and Industry and the Secretary of Labor and Industry; establishing the Heat Protection Enforcement Fund; and imposing penalties.

HB 1580 requires employers to implement specific heat safety measures, including providing cooling breaks and access to water, to protect employees working in conditions causing heat stress. It directly affects workers in outdoor and high-heat environments, such as construction, agriculture, and manufacturing. The bill establishes a new Heat Protection Enforcement Fund to support Department of Labor and Industry oversight and imposes penalties for non-compliance. Key provisions mandate employer action plans, define heat illness prevention protocols, and assign enforcement duties to the Department of Labor and Industry.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates employer heat safety measures (cooling breaks, water access) and imposes penalties to protect workers from heat stress in high-risk industries, directly advancing workplace safety standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Workplace Safety

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Jun 18, 2025

SB 853: An Act amending the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, providing for small business minimum wage increase tax credit.

SB 853 creates a tax credit for small Pennsylvania businesses (with 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees) affected by minimum wage increases. It allows employers to claim a credit equal to 50% of the wage increase cost in the first year after a minimum wage hike, and 25% in the second year, against their state tax liability. Unused credit can be carried over for up to three years but cannot be refunded or carried back. Pass-through businesses may also transfer unused credits to owners in proportion to their share of business income.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates tax credit reducing state tax liability for small businesses affected by minimum wage hikes, providing tax relief for middle-income employers.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides tax credit to help small businesses comply with minimum wage hikes, supporting worker wage increases without restricting employer obligations.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Tax Credits Minimum Wage Tags Small Business

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Sep 10, 2025

HB 1855: An Act requiring an employer to provide paid leave to an employee due to a climate-related emergency; establishing the Climate-related Emergency Paid Leave Fund; and imposing duties on the Department of Labor and Industry.

HB 1855 requires most employers to provide paid leave to employees who need time off due to climate-related emergencies, such as hurricanes, wildfires, or extreme weather events. It establishes a state-funded Climate-related Emergency Paid Leave Fund to reimburse employers for the cost of this leave. The Department of Labor and Industry would administer the fund, set eligibility criteria for employees, and manage employer reimbursement processes. This bill directly affects employees in climate-impacted areas and their employers, creating a new paid leave requirement tied to weather emergencies.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes state-funded Climate-related Emergency Paid Leave Fund, increasing state budget expenditure for employee leave program.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates paid leave for climate-related emergencies, expanding employee benefits and protecting workers' rights. Fund reimburses employers, ensuring no cost burden for this benefit.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Paid Leave

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passed · Pennsylvania · House Mar 25, 2025

HB 118: An Act amending the the act of October 24, 2012 (P.L.1209, No.151), known as the Child Labor Act, further providing for penalties.

HB 118 amends Pennsylvania's Child Labor Act to increase penalties for employers violating child labor laws. It raises the fine for first-time violations from $500 to $1,000 per violation and increases penalties for repeat offenses to $3,000 per violation or up to 10 days in jail. The bill directly affects employers who hire minors in prohibited work situations. These changes are concrete policy adjustments to enforcement, not new work restrictions. The amendment takes effect 30 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentIncreases penalties for child labor violations, strengthening enforcement of worker protection laws under workplace safety standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Child Labor Labor Standards Workplace Safety

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Aug 19, 2025

HB 1810: An Act providing for workplace violence prevention and emergency preparedness standards for retail employers and employees; imposing duties on the Department of Labor and Industry; and imposing penalties.

HB 1810 requires retail employers to establish workplace violence prevention and emergency preparedness standards for their employees. It mandates the Department of Labor and Industry to develop and enforce these safety standards, including specific measures for handling threats or incidents. The bill directly affects retail businesses and their workers by creating new safety obligations. Violations could result in penalties imposed by the Department, though specific penalty amounts are not detailed in the provided context.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates retail employers to establish violence prevention standards, directly protecting workers' safety under Labor & Employment regulations.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Workplace Safety

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