Has Your Legislator Cosponsored the Healthy Families Act Yet?

By MB -
We just got word that Senator Specter has become a cosponsor of the Healthy Families Act, joining Senator Casey and 22 other senators! Is your senator one of the cosponsors?

Over 57 million workers nationwide have no access to earned sick time. Under the Healthy Families Act, workers would be guaranteed the opportunity to earn up to seven paid sick days per year to recover from their own illness or care for a sick family member. It would also give victims of domestic violence the opportunity to use that time as "safe days" in which they can receive medical or psychological attention, look for housing, or otherwise address their needs.

In Pennsylvania in addition to Senators Specter and Casey, the following Representatives have cosponsored the bill:
  • Representative Robert Brady
  • Representative Michael Doyle
  • Representative Chaka Fattah
  • Representative Allyson Schwartz
  • Representative Joe Sestak
Please take some time today to thank our senators for cosponsoring the Healthy Families Act. If your representative is a cosponsor, please thank him or her as well. If not, now is the perfect time to ask your Representative to cosponsor the bill!

For more information on the Healthy Families Act and other information on paid sick days in Pennsylvania, please read our earlier blog posts.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PathWays PA E-Newsletter: August 6, 2012

By -
Image
Federal Policy Updates  CONGRESS IN AGREEMENT TO WORK ON A 6-MONTH CONTINUING RESOLUTION Last week House and Senate leaders announced that a deal has been reached to pass a 6-month continuing resolution to fund the federal government through next spring. Details of the agreement have not yet been made public, but the continuing resolution will reportedly fund federal agencies at current spending levels. With both chambers of Congress on summer recess, a vote on the agreement will likely be held in September, before the end of the fiscal year. If this agreement is enacted it will ensure that the government will not be shutdown at the end of September when the current spending plan ends. HELP MOVE THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT FORWARD The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) needs to be reauthorized to ensure the continuation of vital, life-saving programs and laws. It was the first piece of American legislation that recognized the pervasive nature of domestic violence,
Read more

Mini-Budget Update-Supporting the American Community Survey

By MB -
Image
(via The Census Project ) Next Tuesday, June 19 is an important date to mark on your calendar. The Congressional Joint Economic Committee is holding a public hearing on the economic impact of eliminating the American Community Survey (ACS) at 2:30 p.m., in Room 210 of the Canon House Office Building. Witnesses that will be speaking in opposition to the move to eliminate the ACS are Vincent Barabba, former director of the Census Bureau in two GOP administrations and Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Association of General Contractors and also representing the National Association of Business Economists. It is very important that we pack the congressional hearing room! If you cannot come, please urge your colleages to come. If you represent a non-DC organization contact your friends in Washington and urge them to attend. Also on Tuesday of next week some of our congressional supporters will be holding a noon press conference in the so-called House Triangle right outside the Cap
Read more

Overlooked and Undercounted: Struggling to Make Ends Meet in Pennsylvania

By -
Image
Census data tells us that 13% of Pennsylvania households live in poverty. In reality, even more households don’t have the income they need to reach self-sufficiency. One in four Pennsylvania households – over 846,000 – lack enough income to cover just the necessities. Since 1997, PathWays PA has worked with Dr. Diana Pearce and the University of Washington to calculate  The Self-Sufficiency Standard for Pennsylvania . Over the last 23 years,  The Self-Sufficiency Standard of Pennsylvania  has documented the continuing increase in the real cost of living, illuminating the economic crunch experienced by so many families today. Since 2010, PathWays PA and the University of Washington have also issued three versions of the  Overlooked and Undercounted  report, which looks at the number of households living above and below self-sufficiency. You can now use the interactive materials below to find out what it takes to be self-sufficient in your county. Click here  to read the 2020 O
Read more