PathWays PA Policy Blog

From our friends at the Philadelphia International Action Center The Philadelphia International Action Center invites you to a forum on Tuesday, July 15 at 7:00PM at Calvary Church, 48th & Baltimore on the growing crisis of thousands of immigrant children seeking refuge in the U.S. The program will feature Colombian community activist Maria Serna and the documentary film  "Harvest of Empire" that takes an unflinching look at the direct role that U.S. economic and military intervention in Latin America played in triggering this unprecedented wave of immigration. For more information call 215-724-1618 or email phillyIAC@gmail.com . Watch the trailer here.

From our friends at the National Women's Law Center Women in the military and women in military families serve and sacrifice for our country every day. It only makes sense that we should give them the support they deserve in return, especially when it comes to important health benefits. Unlike most women with private insurance plans - which must cover breastfeeding supplies and counseling - military women and military families lack comprehensive insurance coverage of the same supplies and support under the Department of Defense's TRICARE health care program. In fact, TRICARE only covers a breast pump in extreme circumstances for most women. But a bill currently before Congress would make sure all military women and military families have better coverage of breastfeeding supplies and education.  Breastfeeding benefits both mothers and children, reducing the risk of breast and ovarian cancer in women and asthma, obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and leukemia in children. Women w...

Unitl May 29, Barnaby's of America locations are celebrating Memorial Day by offering a 20% discount on food purchases for active and veteran military with valid ID. This discount is offered by Barnaby's in conjunction with PathWays PA's HeroesPath program. HeroesPath offers veterans in Southeastern Pennsylvania one-stop access to a full range of services, opportunities, programs and supports for a successful transition from military service to civilian employment and family life.  Through HeroesPath, veterans can connect with a Veterans Navigator, who can provide comprehensive access to training, resources and services required for a healthy transition to civilian lifestyles. Navigators meet with veterans individually and in small groups to help veterans identify and achieve personal and career goals. To learn more about HeroesPath, please email heroespath@pathwayspa.org or call 610-237-3866. The discount will be available at all Barnaby's locations:  ...

HeroesPath, a new Veterans Services and Employment Program is now available to Veterans in Southeastern Pennsylvania. This exciting new initiative offers a single point of contact for Veterans seeking to transition their military skills to civilian careers and access other programs and supports available to Veterans. Specific services include: Job Readiness and Employment Guidance  Access to a comprehensive Service Referral Network Employment Support Groups; Veterans Issues Discussion Series Family Violence Prevention Healthy Families Workshops  Veterans can call 610-237-3866 to schedule a FREE appointment with a Navigator or visit PathWays PA at 310 Amosland Road , Holmes PA from 10AM - 3PM on Wednesdays for "Drop in Hours." For more information contact the PathWays PA HeroesPath Intake Line at 610-237-3866 or e-mail heroespath@pathwayspa.org

PathWays PA will be hosting the first HeroesPath Employer Leadership Corp Planning Meeting on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 from 8:30AM - 9:30AM at American Legion Post 94 (2 Cambridge Road, Brookhaven, PA 19015). This meeting will introduce local employers to HeroesPath, PathWays PA's new Veterans services and employment initiative. Employers who participate in the initial planning meeting and subsequent Leadership Corp meetings will offer expertise and guidance on translating Veterans' military skills and experiences to successful civilian employment. Participating employers will also have the opportunity to connect with highly qualified Veterans to fill human resource needs.  For employers who are interested in participating, please RSVP to Eve Thomas at ethomas@pathwayspa.org or 610-543-5022 x256.

The last government shutdown came in the 1990s, so here is a quick refresher course. For more detailed information, please visit  http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/09/30/absolutely-everything-you-need-to-know-about-how-the-government-shutdown-will-work/ . We will continue to update this page. If you see anything missing, or you have a question, please tell us in the comments! What happened?  Because the House and Senate could not come to an agreement about spending for the new fiscal year (which begins today) or an agreement on a continuing resolution to keep the government funded for a few more weeks of negotiation, the government has shutdown all nonessential services. Until a new agreement is reached, many federal offices will be closed, and nonessential workers (about 800,000) will be asked to remain at home without pay. Offices that operate with independent funding, such as the US Postal Service and the Federal Reserve, will remain open. Wh...

There were an estimated 26,000 cases of sexual assault last year, but only 3,000 were reported. And when a survivor does file a complaint, the commander in charge has the ability to set aside guilty verdicts, return the attacker into the ranks, and in some cases even promote the attacker. This legislation transcends party politics - with Republicans and Democrats signing on to support the bill. They understand that our service members deserve better, and they're willing to work together to make it happen. Tell your Senators you won't accept anything less than a strong solution for military survivors of sexual assault. Keep up the pressure on your Senators to support this legislation. Ask them to stand with Senator Gillibrand.

PathWays PA is excited to announce several openings for AmeriCorps VISTA positions among our partners across the state. If you are interested in serving your country and your community, please see if one of these positions is right for you. PathWays PA/American Red Cross  VISTA 08/27/2013-08/26/2014  PA Help the American Red Cross serve those who serve! We seek 2 VISTA members to develop programming related to direct and indirect services serving military and veteran families in Southeastern PA. PathWays PA/Boat People SOS HAPP   VISTA 08/27/2013-08/26/2014  PA Join Boat People SOS to find creative solutions to longstanding health problems among the Vietnamese community! The VISTA will support work in health care outreach/education projects. PathWays PA/Boat People SOS ECO  VISTA 08/27/2013-08/26/2014  PA Support the Boat People SOS team to deepen and broaden work with the Philadelphia Vietnamese community! Help us plan community events, rec...

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities  has examined how the EITC and CTC programs are utilized by veterans. With Congress considering overhauling the tax code this year, it’s worth noting that about one in four current or former armed forces families with children receive the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the low-income piece of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) — two key tax credits for low- and moderate-income working families. The Census and IRS numbers that our friends at CBPP examined show significant use of the tax credits by veterans. Nationally, 1.5 million military families receive one of the credits, according to our analysis of Census Bureau and Internal Revenue Service data. In about 280,000 of these families, a parent now serves in the armed forces; in the rest, a parent is a veteran. Pennsylvania alone has 48,000 veterans and armed forces families with children that receive the EITC or low-income component of the Child Tax Credit annually. ...

A proposed bill in Congress called the Sexual Assault Training Oversight and Prevention Act , or STOP Act, would create an independent, professional office in the military to investigate, and prosecute sexual assault, instead of leaving the decisions in the hands of commanders who can act at their own discretion. The STOP Act would still keep the authority over sexual assault cases in the military-just not in the hands of individual commanders who are not trained to handle these cases. Nearly 3,200 cases of sexual assault in the military were reported in 2010, yet the Department of Defense estimates the actual number of assaults to be 19,000 since most cases are never reported. Please urge your representative to cosponsor the STOP Act (H.R. 1593) and fundamentally change how sexual assault is handled in the military.

Senator Browne issued a co-sponsorship memo about soon-to-be filed legislation that would legalize high-cost predatory payday loans in Pennsylvania. The bill is not expected to be any different than last year's HB 2191 in that at its core it legalizes the same debt trap payday product. Adding up all the fees and interest, it would legalize a 288% APR on a typical, two-week $300 payday loan. This product is grossly inconsistent with protections in place for Pennsylvanians and the entire U.S. military (which cannot be offered loans with interest above 36% APR), and puts the state's veterans and families at risk. Reach out to your legislators ASAP and ask them not to support Payday Loans in PA !

Join the discussion on Tuesday, April 16, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at CCP in the Center for Business and Industry, Room C2-28, for Honoring Our HERoes: Giving Service for Your Service. There will be a panel discussion and reception sponsored by The Links, Incorporated, Philadelphia Chapter , in partnership with the Community College of Philadelphia Veterans Resource Center . The panel will discuss the challenges of women veterans and the process of successfully transitioning from military life. This event is open to males and to spouses of women veterans. please RSVP: women.veterans.links@gmail.com For more information, contact 215-751-8462 or sbachovin@ccp.edu .

Veterans Day has come and gone, but support for veterans and their service continues.   Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett, who served in the Commonwealth’s National Guard, is among the advocates for United States veterans, and recently signed seven pieces of legislation that champions the rights of those who have served in all branches of the Armed Services. Governor Corbett’s legislative package will: •    Finance the Veterans Trust Fund, which will receive $1.7 million after the sale of Scotland School for Veterans Children, and continue to grow, providing help and assistance for veterans. •    Encourage the commonwealth to contract with veteran-owned small businesses. •    Create a “V” designation on Pennsylvania Driver Licenses, which will allow veterans to qualify for discounts or other benefits. •    Update the Pennsylvania Code of Military Justice, giving commanders more options in dealing with military offenses. • ...

For information on states other than Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, please visit  http://www.866ourvote.org In Pennsylvania: As of November 2 , the deadline for voters to request absentee ballots (5:00 pm Tuesday, October 30th) was extended by one day for each day that a county's offices were closed. The deadline for county election offices to receive completed absentee ballots was to be extended until 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 5, on a county-by-county basis. Allegheny Co., PA has extended the deadline to accept completed absentee ballots to 8pm on Election Day. In New Jersey: The Department of State has issued several voting directives for residents affected by the Hurricane.   First Responders have been given the ability to vote as if they were members of the military or overseas voters . Displaced voters will be treated as if they were overseas voters.  As such, they may submit mail-in ballot applications to their local Board of Elections by 5 ...

From our friends at the ACLU and Vote for Homes : You do NOT need a photo ID to vote this November 6! Pennsylvania’s voter ID law will NOT be enforced for the November 6, 2012, election. You will be asked for photo ID but will still be allowed to vote regularly without it. Voters without ID should NOT be asked to vote on a provisional ballot. If this happens to you, or if you are told you can’t vote at all without photo ID, call 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683). Voting for the first time at your polling place? If you are voting for the first time at your polling place, you WILL need to show some form of ID, although it does NOT have to be a photo ID. Questions? Call 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683). Accepted forms of photo ID: PA driver's license or other ID card issued by PennDOT ID issued by a PA or U.S. agency U.S. passport Military ID Student ID Employee ID Accepted non-photo IDs (must list your name and current address): Voter registration card ID issued by...

Voters will be required to show an acceptable photo ID on Election Day. All photo IDs must contain an expiration date that is current, unless noted otherwise. Voter's names on their photo IDs do not need to exactly match their voter registration, but the names must substantially conform. Acceptable IDs include: Photo IDs issued by the U.S. Federal Government or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (i ncluding the Department of State Voter ID Card ) PA Driver’s License or Non-driver’s License photo ID (IDs are valid for voting purposes 12 months past expiration date) Valid U.S. passport U.S. military ID - active duty and retired military (a military or veteran’s ID must designate an expiration date or designate that the expiration date is indefinite). Military dependents’ ID must contain an expiration date Employee photo ID  issued by Federal, PA, PA County or PA Municipal government Photo ID from an accredited PA public or private institution of higher learning , including ...

At PathWays PA we receive many questions from the community about their rights as workers. To help answer some of these questions we thought a series of blog posts explaining some of those rights workers have would be helpful. We are starting with the Family Medical Leave Act because it is one of the topics we are asked about most often.  Under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) eligible employees are able to take unpaid but job protected leave for certain life events. During the leave the employee has the right to remain on the employer’s health insurance and upon return they have the right to be restored to the same or an equivalent position. Who is covered:  FMLA applies to public agencies, all public and private elementary and secondary schools, and companies with 50 or more employees. Employees of these entities are eligible for leave if they have workeds for their employer for at least 1,250 hours over 12 months. What is the coverage:  Eligible emp...

( via stoppaydayloanspa.com ) Last week, the House approved 300% interest rate debt to come flooding into the state. The House passed a bill to legalize predatory payday loans by a slim margin. (See how your representative voted here .) Now, the decision now rests in the hands of your Senator. Call today to share your feelings on payday loans. Payday loans are small-dollar, extremely high-interest loans, which typically carry triple-digit interest rates of 300% annually or higher. They are called payday loans because they generally must be paid back in full, with all interest and fees, on the borrower’s next payday. While payday lenders market these loans as “short-term” or “emergency” loans, they really are just a debt trap. Because the loans are so expensive, secured by access to the borrower’s checking account, and due in full just two short weeks later, most people who take out a payday loan are unable to pay it back and still have enough money to pay for their regular ...

Federal Policy Updates  HELP SUPPORT PAID FAMILY LEAVE  In the coming weeks, the Senate will consider putting $5 million toward a new State Paid Leave Fund, which President Obama has proposed in his last three budgets. The Fund would help states that want to start paid leave insurance programs for workers and their families.  Five million dollars might not sound like a lot — especially when you consider the size of our multi-trillion-dollar federal budget — but these funds are critically important and could really help build momentum in the states. We all know how important it is for families to have access to paid leave when illness strikes or babies come, and that’s why we need you to contact your senators today. Please urge your Senators to contact their colleagues on the Labor-HHS Appropriations subcommittee and voice their support for the State Paid Leave Fund. From our friends at the National Partnership for Women and Families .  SUPPORT THE PREG...

State Policy Updates $1 BILLION BUSINESS TAX CUT EXPECTED TO CUT SERVICES THAT HELP KIDS, FAMILIES: REACH LAWMAKERS ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK The first priority before the Pennsylvania House when lawmakers return to session next week is to vote on a bill that will cut corporate taxes by close to a billion dollars by the end of the decade, with no commitment from companies to put people back to work . Cutting these taxes will also encourage deep cuts to domestic violence services, education, adult literacy and food pantries due to lost revenue. Billed as a measure to close corporate tax loopholes, House Bill 2150 is paired with such big tax breaks for businesses that it will be a huge net revenue drain on the state for years to come. If you have feelings about this bill, you can send a Message to Lawmakers on Facebook and Twitter . Sample messages include: @Lawmaker Vote no on HB2150. Corporate tax cuts will hurt children and families. PA can’t afford a decade of deep #Pab...