Signed by Governor Josh Shapiro

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that amends unemployment compensation claim procedures, particularly for cases involving survivors of domestic violence in Pennsylvania.

Highlights:

• Increases the amount an individual must have earned in remuneration after separation from work under disqualifying circumstances to 12 times their weekly benefit rate in employment (Sec. 1).

• Requires a claimant of unemployment benefits to make a good faith effort to obtain employment in suitable work, and prohibits them from taking any action to unreasonably discourage their own hire, including refusing a job or job interview without good cause (Sec. 1).

• Requires the Department of Labor and Industry to grant relief from charges to employers for benefits paid related to an unemployment claim that is disqualified (Sec. 1).

• Exempts an individual from disqualification for unemployment benefits if they voluntarily leave employment due to a domestic violence situation in which continued employment would jeopardize their safety (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes verification of a domestic violence situation to be provided in the form of various legal or medical records, or a self-affirmation that an individual’s continued employment would jeopardize their own or a member of their household’s safety (Sec. 2).

• Requires an individual who is granted qualified unemployment due to a self-affirmation of a domestic violence situation to provide documentation of the situation within 150 days of the application (Sec. 2).

• Prohibits an individual from unemployment benefit eligibility if their wages in the highest quarter of earning in the base year exceed 63% of their total base year wages (Sec. 3).

• Specifies the effective dates of each section and subsection of this Act (Sec. 5).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that amends unemployment compensation claim procedures, particularly for cases involving survivors of domestic violence in Pennsylvania.

Highlights:

• Increases the amount an individual must have earned in remuneration after separation from work under disqualifying circumstances to 12 times their weekly benefit rate in employment (Sec. 1).

• Requires a claimant of unemployment benefits to make a good faith effort to obtain employment in suitable work, and prohibits them from taking any action to unreasonably discourage their own hire, including refusing a job or job interview without good cause (Sec. 1).

• Requires the Department of Labor and Industry to grant relief from charges to employers for benefits paid related to an unemployment claim that is disqualified (Sec. 1).

• Exempts an individual from disqualification for unemployment benefits if they voluntarily leave employment due to a domestic violence situation in which continued employment would jeopardize their safety (Sec. 2).

• Authorizes verification of a domestic violence situation to be provided in the form of various legal or medical records, or a self-affirmation that an individual’s continued employment would jeopardize their own or a member of their household’s safety (Sec. 2).

• Requires an individual who is granted qualified unemployment due to a self-affirmation of a domestic violence situation to provide documentation of the situation within 150 days of the application (Sec. 2).

• Prohibits an individual from unemployment benefit eligibility if their wages in the highest quarter of earning in the base year exceed 63% of their total base year wages (Sec. 3).

• Specifies the effective dates of each section and subsection of this Act (Sec. 5).

Full Bill Text