PathWays PA Policy Blog

If you shop this weekend, please keep in mind the businesses that provided sponsorship and auction items at our events this year! Spring Event Chubb Jane Barr Pino & Associates All Seasons Home Improvement Conrad O'Brien Jackson Cross Crozer Keystone Health System Comcast TD Bank eXude QVC Coldwell Banker Pinocchio's Pizza Keenan Auto Body Crown Holdings Monarch Staffing Fischer Cunnane Agritment Farms Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union White Harris Elwyn Pharmacy WSFS ZRG Partners Finit Solutions Women In Transition Trader Joe's Gala PECO Boeing Chubb Allen & Shirley Speiser Foundation LimNorris All Seasons Home Improvement Blank Rome Korn Ferry Natalie Brooks & Larry Katz Amy & Nick Gavrishev Bradford White Conrad O'Brien Jackson Cross /Cate Sennet Jane and Bill Farran Kroll Language Services McCarter & English Sam Becker Saul Ewing Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP Dr. Deebeanne Tavani and Suzanne Tav

Take action on equal pay - by asking Senators to vote against an equal pay bill. Sounds a little strange, I know. But a supposed "equal pay" bill currently before the Senate called the Workplace Advancement Act wouldn't actually help when it comes to equal pay. Here are some details from our friends at NWLC , who are also offering a way to take action here . How does the Workplace Advancement Act fall short? Here are four key ways: • It provides super-narrow protection for talking about salary if you do so specifically to figure out whether you are being paid equally for equal work — but your employer would still be able to fire you for casual water cooler conversations about pay with co-workers — even though these sorts of conversations are how pay discrimination is often accidentally discovered. • It doesn't close the huge loopholes employers use to pay discriminatory wages. • It doesn't include penalties that would encourage employers to audit how the

From @PAHomelessYouth :  #couchesdontcount with @SenBobCasey and Youth employees at @PECCaresPhilly bringing awareness to #youthhomelessness Several key legislative proposals that affect Pennsylvania's 20,000+ youth who experience homelessness are stalled in Congress. Will any of these bills become law? What happens if they do not? Find the answers to these and other questions at the inaugural " Legislative Briefing about Youth Who Experience Homelessness." The forum will discuss with Senator Robert Casey's Legislative Director the current federal legislative status of the Education for Homeless Children and Youth, the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Act, and two other bills. On July 16, the U.S. Senate passed the Every Child Achieves Act, S. 1177, by 81-17. This legislation reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, including the education subtitle of the McKinney-Vento Act. The House passed its ESEA reauthorization bill, the

If you live in Pennsylvania, don't forget to vote today! Your vote matters more than ever, especially when it comes to the policies that affect women, girls, and families like the ones we serve every day. If you need more information on where you are registered or who is on the ballot, please check out our post from last week . You can learn more about PA elections and get voting questions answered at www.votespa.com . Votes PA even shows  demonstrations of the voting machines in your county! If you have any problems at the polls, please call 1-866-OURVOTE. Interested in PathWays PA blog posts on similar topics? 9/22/15 - Voting: It's Up To You 7/7/15 - So What Did the Doctor Find Out about American Democracy? 8/26/15 - #WeMatter on Women's Equality Day: Tweet Storm at 1PM and 9PM

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is scheduled to reopen November 2, 2015. LIHEAP is a cash grant sent directly to utility companies to help low-income households pay heating bills. You can apply for LIHEAP online , using a paper form , or at your local County Assistance Office (CAO) . There is also a LIHEAP hotline available Monday through Friday (individuals with hearing impairments may call the TDD number at 1-800-451-5886). A Crisis program will also open in Fall 2015 to provide additional money to families in an emergency who are at risk of losing their heat. Emergencies include: Broken/leaking heating equipment that must be fixed or replaced Lack of fuel Shut-off of the main or second heating source Potential of being without fuel (less than 15 day supply) or of having utilities shut off within 60 days. To apply for a crisis grant in most counties, you should contact your local county assistance office. However, residents of Luzerne and Wyoming C