Labor & Employment (Unemployment)

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 26, 2025

HB 1056: An Act providing for criteria for independent contractors in the traveling sales industry and for the powers and duties of the Department of Labor and Industry; and imposing penalties.

HB 1056 requires employers in Pennsylvania’s traveling sales industry (groups selling goods/services door-to-door or in public places) to classify workers as employees - not independent contractors - unless specific conditions are met. It mandates employer registration with the Department of Labor and Industry, prohibits misclassification for benefits like workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance, and imposes fines for violations. The bill directly affects businesses employing traveling sales crews, with penalties including administrative fines and potential stop-work orders for noncompliance. Key provisions include mandatory registration, proof of employee status, and prohibitions against retaliation for workers reporting violations.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentPrevents misclassification of traveling sales workers as contractors, ensuring access to workers' comp/unemployment benefits and imposing penalties for violations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Gig Economy Labor Standards Unemployment

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Apr 7, 2025

HB 1163: An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in Commonwealth services, providing for work-related hazardous duty.

HB 1163 creates a legal presumption that certain frontline workers contracted infectious diseases (like COVID-19) on the job during a declared public health emergency. It directly affects employees in life-sustaining roles - such as healthcare workers, first responders, grocery staff, food service workers, and public utility employees - who are required to work during emergencies. The bill ensures these workers cannot be forced to use paid leave for illness, automatically qualifies them for unemployment compensation, and makes them eligible for workers' compensation covering all related medical costs. This applies during any Governor-declared emergency for infectious diseases posing significant public health risks.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill protects healthcare workers by creating legal presumption for work-related illness during emergencies, ensuring automatic benefits without forced paid leave use.92% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates legal presumption for work-related illness, prevents forced paid leave use, ensures automatic benefits - directly strengthens worker protections during public health emergencies.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health Unemployment Workers' Compensation Workplace Safety

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Apr 23, 2025

HB 1157: 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 preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions.

HB 1157 amends Pennsylvania's 1936 Unemployment Compensation Law to update how "agricultural labor" is defined for unemployment insurance coverage. It specifies that agricultural work counts as "employment" if employers paid $20,000+ in cash wages to agricultural workers in a calendar quarter, or employed 10+ workers across 20 different weeks (with historical exceptions). This change directly affects Pennsylvania agricultural employers meeting these thresholds and their workers, potentially expanding unemployment coverage eligibility for some farm laborers. The amendment applies to service performed after December 31, 2025.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands unemployment insurance eligibility for agricultural workers by lowering coverage thresholds, directly advancing worker benefits under unemployment compensation law.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Unemployment

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Apr 4, 2025

SB 562: 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 benefits based on service for educational institutions.

SB 562 amends Pennsylvania's unemployment compensation law to change how benefits are calculated for workers at educational institutions between academic terms. It removes the requirement that individuals must have "reasonable assurance" of returning to work at the same institution during the next academic year to qualify for benefits. This directly affects teachers, staff, and other employees at schools or colleges who work between academic terms. The change applies to services performed on or after the bill's effective date, ensuring benefits are payable regardless of return assurances, provided all other eligibility criteria are met.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRemoves requirement for 'reasonable assurance' of return to work, improving unemployment benefit access for education workers between academic terms.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRemoves 'reasonable assurance' requirement, expanding unemployment benefits access for educational workers between academic terms, directly advancing worker benefits.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Unemployment

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Apr 9, 2025

SB 586: An Act providing for criteria for independent contractors and for powers and duties of the Department of Labor and Industry and the Secretary of Labor and Industry; and imposing penalties.

SB 586, the Workplace Misclassification Act, sets clear criteria for determining when a worker qualifies as an independent contractor (requiring written project-specific contracts, business ownership, and independence from employer control) and prohibits employers from misclassifying employees as independent contractors. This directly affects workers who might lose access to workers' compensation, unemployment benefits, and other employee protections if misclassified, as well as employers who fail to properly classify workers. Key mechanisms include criminal penalties for violations, administrative fines, stop-work orders for noncompliant employers, and a private right for workers to sue for misclassification. The bill aims to replace vague standards with enforceable rules, requiring the Department of Labor to enforce these provisions and report annually on compliance.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits employer misclassification of employees as contractors, ensuring access to workers' comp, unemployment benefits, and other employee protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Gig Economy Labor Standards Unemployment

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Mar 21, 2025

SB 495: 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 and for ineligibility for compensation.

This bill amends Pennsylvania's unemployment compensation law to clarify eligibility rules. It adds a 30-day benefit exclusion for claimants unemployed due to labor disputes (excluding lockouts), and clarifies that workers who leave jobs due to company union requirements, unfair labor conditions, or military spouse relocation needs remain eligible. The law also defines "suitable employment" as work requiring comparable skills and paying at least 80% of prior wages. These changes directly affect workers filing for unemployment benefits and employers processing claims. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentClarifies eligibility for workers leaving due to unfair labor conditions, union requirements, or military spouse needs, and defines 'suitable employment' with 80% wage standard, strengthening unemployment benefits access.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Unemployment

Track

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

Track

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

Track

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

Track

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

Track