Labor & Employment

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Apr 2, 2025

SB 486: An Act amending Title 62 (Procurement) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in source selection and contract formation, further providing for debarment or suspension.

SB 486 amends Pennsylvania's procurement laws to add new reasons for barring state contractors from future contracts. It specifically prohibits state agencies from awarding contracts to businesses that violate wage laws (like the Wage Payment and Collection Law), misclassify employees as independent contractors (violating laws covering workers' compensation, unemployment insurance, taxes, or construction misclassification), or breach workers' compensation rules. This directly affects businesses seeking or holding state government contracts by expanding the grounds for debarment. The bill updates existing debarment rules to include these specific labor and wage violations, making them automatic disqualifiers for state contracting. It takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill bars state contracts for businesses violating wage laws, misclassifying workers, or breaching workers' comp, directly protecting workers' rights and enforcing labor standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Gig Economy Unemployment

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Jun 9, 2025

SR 123: A Resolution designating the week of June 9 through 13, 2025, as "Union Organizing Week" in Pennsylvania, in honor of those workers who have fought for their right to organize and bargain collectively at their workplace.

This resolution designates June 9-13, 2025, as "Union Organizing Week" in Pennsylvania. It symbolically honors workers who advocate for collective bargaining rights and fair workplace conditions, without creating new laws or altering existing policies. The resolution acknowledges the role of unions in improving wages, safety, and equity while recognizing workers' right to choose unionization. It is purely ceremonial and does not affect employers, workers, or labor regulations.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentDesignates 'Union Organizing Week' to honor collective bargaining rights, symbolically supporting workers' right to organize without legal effect.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jul 1, 2025

HB 1690: 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 qualifications required to secure compensation.

HB 1690 amends Pennsylvania's Unemployment Compensation Law to require claimants to report certain disability-related benefits when applying for unemployment benefits. It directly affects unemployed Pennsylvanians who receive disability benefits from workers' compensation, federal disability insurance, private disability insurance, or unpaid leave under federal family medical leave laws. The bill adds a new requirement that claimants must disclose these benefits to the Department of Labor to determine eligibility for unemployment compensation. The change takes effect six months after enactment.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentRequires disclosure of disability benefits to restrict unemployment eligibility, limiting access to benefits for affected workers.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Paid Leave Unemployment Workers' Compensation

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jul 1, 2025

HB 1687: 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 1687 amends Pennsylvania's Unemployment Compensation Law to change how the maximum number of weeks an unemployed worker can receive benefits is calculated. It bases the maximum weeks (ranging from 12 to 20) on the seasonal adjusted statewide unemployment rate from the six months preceding the claim application date, using the most recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This directly affects Pennsylvania workers filing for unemployment benefits on or after the effective date, as their benefit duration will now adjust based on current statewide unemployment rates. The bill specifies that total benefits in a single year cannot exceed the weekly benefit amount multiplied by the weeks determined under this new formula. The change takes effect six months after enactment.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill adjusts unemployment benefit duration based on current unemployment rate, extending weeks during high joblessness (up to 20 weeks), directly expanding worker support during economic hardship.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Unemployment

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jul 1, 2025

HB 1692: 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 contributions by employers and employees, further providing for relief from charges; and, in compensation, further providing for ineligibility for compensation and providing for eligibility related to domestic violence.

HB 1692 amends Pennsylvania's unemployment compensation law to protect workers facing domestic violence and clarify employer cost relief. It adds a new provision (Section 402.7) stating workers who leave jobs due to domestic violence safety risks cannot be disqualified for unemployment benefits. The bill also revises existing rules to provide employers relief from extra charges when workers are separated for reasons like willful misconduct or certain discharges. These changes directly affect Pennsylvania workers seeking unemployment benefits and employers paying into the unemployment fund.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAdds Section 402.7 protecting domestic violence victims from unemployment disqualification, expanding worker benefit access per bill summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Unemployment

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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 Jul 1, 2025

HB 1691: 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 qualifications required to secure compensation.

HB 1691 amends Pennsylvania's unemployment compensation law to adjust the earnings requirement for workers seeking benefits after certain job separations. It increases the required earnings from six to fifteen times the weekly benefit rate in the 10 weeks following a disqualifying separation (e.g., quitting for personal reasons or being terminated). The bill also adds a provision exempting workers who took a leave of absence and made reasonable efforts to return to work. This change directly affects unemployed workers who left jobs under disqualifying circumstances but meet the new earnings threshold. The bill takes effect six months after enactment.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentIncreases earnings requirement from 6x to 15x weekly benefit rate, restricting unemployment benefit access for workers after disqualifying separations.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Unemployment

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Jul 31, 2025

SB 961: An Act prohibiting certain practices and discrimination by the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions under contracts for public works; and providing for a private right of action.

SB 961, the Freedom in Public Contracting Act, prohibits Pennsylvania state and local governments from requiring contractors on public works projects to use union-represented workers, pay union dues, recognize unions, or follow specific apprenticeship or wage/benefit programs. It directly affects contractors bidding on government construction projects (like roads or buildings) by banning discriminatory contract terms based on union status or participation in union programs. The law allows affected contractors to sue a government body in court to stop violations and seek damages or legal fees. It takes effect 60 days after enactment, with exceptions only for federally mandated prevailing wages or state minimum wage laws.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentProhibits union requirements in public contracts, limiting collective bargaining and weakening union influence in government construction projects.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Apprenticeships Collective Bargaining Minimum Wage

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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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