Pa. lawmakers introduce bill to expand unemployment access for domestic violence survivors

A bipartisan bill in the state legislature would put in an ‘express lane’ for victims of domestic violence to get their unemployment claims through faster if they are forced to leave a job due to safety concerns.

In Pennsylvania, 37% of women and 30% of men experience intimate partner physical violence, sexual violence, or stalking, according the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Sometimes, for safety reasons, a victim of domestic violence might have to leave their job. Now, some lawmakers in the state legislature are hoping to make the process of getting unemployment for a domestic violence victim easier.

Rep. Jason Dawkins (D-Philadelphia) and Rep. Seth Grove (R-York) recently introduced House Bill 274 which would amend the Unemployment Compensation Law to create an “express lane” for claimants impacted by domestic violence and allow a survivor to confidentially submit reasonable evidence of recent violence.

A survivor would not be required to submit a copy of a protective order or police report, although they could choose to do so. When the documentation is received, the claim determination will be expedited to significantly reduce the burden on survivors of domestic violence who may be in danger if they continue their employment.

Currently, under the law, if someone must leave work as the result of a domestic violence situation, they can be eligible for benefits but must wait until the case is adjudicated, or decided on by the state. This process can take weeks or months.

“By creating this fast-track, we are helping victims find the safety and security they need, without having to worry about how they’re going to pay the bills,” Dawkins said. “It’s the right thing to do.”

The bill also includes an automatic relief from charges for employers so that an employer’s tax rate will not be impacted by the claim.

HB 274 is on its way to the House chamber for a vote after making it out of the House Labor and Industry Committee last week.

This same bill was introduced last session where it was passed by the House but failed to receive a vote in the Senate.