PathWays PA Policy Blog

By KATHLEEN E. CAREY kcarey@delcotimes.com UPPER DARBY — Peter Listino had lost his Wall Street job but wanted to transform his professional career into one of helping others. So he first visited the Pennsylvania CareerLink and found his way into PathWays PA’s Delaware County Healthcare Partnership. It’s because of people like Listino and the 1,400 others who’ve received training through this program that the Holmes-based non-profit organization is asking the state to reconsider its funding. For the full article, visit http://delcotimes.com/articles/2011/05/22/business/doc4dd82742e5da5850898014.txt .

On Thursday, City Council is going to consider moving a bill for earned sick days from "suspension" to the active calendar. To show support for the issue to Councilors and Mayor Michael Nutter, Philadelphians are joining with us to hold a "virtual rally" on Wednesday May 25th from Noon to 1 pm. We need you to add your voice to the rallying call-without even leaving your desk! Click here to RSVP to the virtual rally! Take part in the Earned Sick Days Coalition's virtual rally in support of an earned sick days policy for all people working in the city limits of Philadelphia. When: Wednesday May 25th from Noon to 1 pm. Where: Your computer or smart phone. How: By sharing why you support an Earned Sick Days policy and/or how it will affect YOU! Post a Facebook status update about how Earned Sick Days can help you or why it is the kind of policy Mayor Nutter should support. Send a tweet to @Michael_Nutter and let him know why supporting an E

SPECIAL EVENTS EVER SEEN CITY HALL WRAPPED IN THOUSANDS OF POSTCARDS? Neither have we. That's why you should join us on May 26 at 8 AM at City Hall. Come out and show your support as we wrap City Hall with the thousands of postcards of people like you who support passing this bill. Not to mention have fun doing something that's never been done before! To register please visit: http://earnedsickdayspostcards.eventbrite.com /. For more information about this event contact Jasmine Rivera of ACTION United at jmrivera@gm.slc.edu . Come be part of this historic event! JOIN OUR TWITTER RALLY AND BLOG CARNIVAL FOR PAID SICK DAYS IN PHILADELPHIA This week, MomsRising will be working with the Coalition for Healthy Families and Workplaces to hold a "blog carnival" for paid sick days. What's a blog carnival? A blog carnival is a collection of blogposts on one topic. It brings together the latest research, analysis and personal reflection and stories to offer read

A bill that would drastically cut Unemployment Compensation (UC) benefits for large numbers of Pennsylvania's unemployed is moving in the General Assembly, and votes are expected as early as Monday, May 23. HB 916 would make permanent, harmful reductions in benefit amounts and weeks of eligibility for many of Pennsylvania's unemployed workers, as well as disqualify many unemployed workers entirely. Please act now to tell our PA legislators to oppose UC cuts in PA. HB 916 would harm Pennsylvania's unemployed workers in the following ways: Lowering benefits amounts ($463 million in cuts annually) and reducing the number of weeks that many unemployed could get benefits (another $48 million in cuts annually). Changing the definition of “willful misconduct” to deny UC benefits to workers whose mistakes were not intentional. Denying UC benefits to workers forced to leave their jobs for family or medical reasons—those fleeing domestic violence, dealing with lost child or

From our friends at Better Choices for Pennsylvania . Now is the time to ask your House lawmakers to use the state's $506 million revenue surplus to balance Pennsylvania's budget before cutting our kids’ education and cost-effective local services for vulnerable people. On Thursday, May 19, Better Choices for Pennsylvania is urging concerned citizens to call their House lawmakers in their district offices to ask them to vote no on a House Republican state budget that calls for deep cuts to schools, colleges and health and human services. Look up your lawmaker's district contact info. Then follow up with an email to your lawmaker .

From our friends at the National Coalition for Literacy Dear Adult Education Advocates, The House is beginning the process of writing its FY 2012 appropriations bills. Representative Denny Rehberg (R-MT), Chairman of the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee, has requested FY 2012 funding priorities from each House Member by Friday, May 20th . The Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill is the bill that provides federal funds for adult education and family literacy. Overall, the allocation for this bill has been cut by $18.2 billion in the House, the largest cut to any appropriations subcommittee’s allocation . The next step in the process is that the Labor HHS-Education Appropriations Sub-Committee will make funding decisions for each federal education program. This means that your Representative must hear from you now about the need to support investment in Adult Education State Grants. Call your U.S. Representative today. Ask him or her to request continued inves

PA’S HB 916 TO CUT UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION, AND YOU CAN HELP A bill under consideration in the House, HB 916, would cut at least $632 million in benefits from unemployment compensation (UC) claimants by doing the following: Reducing benefits for claimants and the number of weeks some claimants will get UC Changing the definition of willful misconduct to include unintentional mistakes Denying UC to those who have lost their jobs for family or medical reasons, including those fleeing from domestic violence and caring for an elderly parent or sick family member Creating a 100% offset of severance payments, even when those payments are required by law or contract. However, despite these changes, HB 916 includes no revenue increases to tackle critical insolvency issues in the unemployment compensation system. Furthermore, because of some of the changes listed above, Pennsylvania would become ineligible for 2/3rds of Unemployment Compensation Stimulus money that is currently av

While the House Republican Budget has been out for almost a week, this is the first chance we at the Policy Blog have had to review it.  Take a look at our chart for some highlights, and read more analysis at the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center.   We'll be back soon with more information on the budget as well. 

SPECIAL EVENT: DELAWARE COUNTY HEALTHCARE PARTNERSHIP Invites you to attend the Third Annual Partnership Celebration Date: Thursday May 19, 2011 Time: Networking 8am            Program 8:30-10:30am Location: Drexelbrook Corporate Events Center     4700 Drexelbrook Drive     Drexel Hill, PA 19026 Join us as we recognize workers' achievements, honor the contributions of employers and the dedication of our educators and award our second annual scholarships for continuing education. To RSVP for this event, contact Ann DelCollo at 610-543-5022 x221 or adelcollo@pathwayspa.org We would like to thank the following organizations for their support: Delaware County Office of Employment and Training Department of Labor & Industry Job Opportunity Investment Network PA Fund for Workforce Solutions State Policy Updates AFTERSCHOOL FOR ALL CHALLENGE MAY 17 On Tuesday, May 17, 2011, please contact your congresspeople, senators or