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
22–0
Passed
Total votes 22
Oct 20, 2025
D
Democratic8
100% Yea
R
Republican14
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
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Devlin Robinson
RRepublican
Co
Art Haywood
DDemocratic
Co
Camera Bartolotta
RRepublican
Co
Jay Costa
DDemocratic
Co
John Kane
DDemocratic
Co
Judy Schwank
DDemocratic
Co
Lynda Culver
RRepublican
Co
Nick Miller
DDemocratic
Co
Nick Pisciottano
DDemocratic
Co
Nikil Saval
DDemocratic
Co
Steve Santarsiero
DDemocratic
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