SB 176 Pennsylvania Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

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, providing for eligibility related to domestic violence.

SB 176 amends Pennsylvania's Unemployment Compensation Law to create a new eligibility exception for individuals who leave work due to domestic violence threatening their safety or their family's safety. This directly affects domestic violence survivors who might otherwise be disqualified from unemployment benefits for voluntarily quitting or failing to attend work. The bill allows applicants to verify domestic violence through protective orders, professional statements, or a self-affirmation (with documentation required within 120 days), while ensuring all records remain confidential and cannot be disclosed to employers. The Department of Labor must expedite eligibility determinations for qualifying applicants and provide automatic relief from employer benefit charges.
Bill status in committee 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Oct 2025
Senate Passage
Oct 2025
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 24, 2025 Last action Dec 8, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Printer's No. PN0115 Printer's No. PN0511 · 4 edits
MODERATE
This bill update expands the number of sponsors and formally designates the bill as amended. The most significant policy change is the addition of a 'good cause' exception that allows the department to excuse or extend the 120-day deadline for submitting domestic violence documentation, providing more flexibility for victims. The bill also clarifies that the department must not disclose the existence of a domestic violence situation to employers.
Scope change
The bill's scope remains focused on unemployment compensation eligibility for victims of domestic violence, but the applicability of the documentation deadline has been broadened to include discretionary extensions.
ELIGIBILITY

Added a provision allowing the department to excuse or extend the 120-day deadline for submitting domestic violence documentation for 'good cause'.

Clarified that the department cannot disclose the existence of a domestic violence situation to employers.

REQUIREMENT

Added the names of new co-sponsors (Pisciottano, Culver, Costa, Santarsiero, Schwank, and Miller) to the bill.

TECHNICAL

Updated the printer's number from 115 to 511 and added a reference to the prior version.

Floor votes · Senate Oct 20, 2025

How they voted

220
Passed
Total votes 22
Oct 20, 2025
D Democratic8
8 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican14
14 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
8
Key actions
3
Committee
3
Amendments
1
Oct 20, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (22-0)
senate
Oct 20, 2025
Upper · Passed
Re-reported as committed
upper
Apr 2, 2025
Committee
Re-referred to Appropriations
upper
Apr 1, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported as amended
upper
Jan 24, 2025
Committee
Referred to Labor & Industry
upper
1 primary · 12 co-sponsors

Sponsors