PathWays PA Policy Blog

All month, we’re partnering with the Women and Girls Foundation , Pittsburgh United , MomsRising , Women's Law Project , and the Family Care Act to co-host What Workers Should Know, a webinar series in the age of COVID-19. We’ll provide practical advice on how to navigate the current job crisis. Every Tuesday at 1 PM, join our live Zoom meeting to learn what’s happening in Pennsylvania, what help is available and what policies can help turn things around. 5.12.20: Paid Sick Leave and Paid Family Leave : For the first time in our country’s history, Congress passed a law providing paid sick days and emergency paid leave to some workers. Join the Family Care Campaign for a discussion of the new laws; who can access them and how; and ideas on what we can do to cover all workers in the future. Join Marianne Bellesorte and Heather Arnet, from the Family Care Campaign, for an overview of the new and existing laws at the local, state, and federal levels and to learn about what you can do ...

As COVID-19 wreaks havoc across the globe, Philadelphia workers are experiencing devastating - and potentially long lasting - economic hardship. On Thursday, March 26 at 6 pm, join hundreds of impacted Philadelphia workers and elected City Hall officials for a virtual town hall to hear more about the impact of the coronavirus on retail, restaurant, healthcare, education, and domestic workers - and proposed solutions to the financial devastations we face. Workers will be joined by City Councilmembers and the Mayor’s Office for this video (Zoom) town hall. Join us to make sure that ALL Philly workers receive the support they need during this difficult time! Here’s how you can get the word out! RSVP here in English ; RSVP aqui en espanol Share on social media and your listservs using this toolkit Keep signing and sharing our petition We’re all in this together - see you at the virtual town hall to make sure workers demands are met and our families and communities are safe.

As more people are being diagnosed with COVID-19 (coronavirus) in our area, and as our schools and businesses begin to make plans for people to remain home to slow the spread of the disease, it's important to remember the role that paid sick days and paid family leave can play during a public health emergency. Workers needs paid sick days in the best of times, but when there are issues of public health, that time is needed more than ever. The same is true of paid family and medical leave, in order to be sure that people who need more time to recover - and their caregivers - can do so without risking their jobs. After you follow CDC recommendations for handwashing and other safety measures , here are some steps you can take to help everyone access the time they need. Sign a letter to Congress asking them to support legislation around paid sick days for public health emergencies Take a look to see what kind of paid leave laws already exist where you live Reach out to yo...

This week, the Senate is likely to vote on legislation that would include paid family leave for federal employees in the National Defense Authorization Act. We need you to share your thoughts with Senators right now! The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) already passed the House with bipartisan support. It includes FEPLA, the Federal Employees Paid Leave Act. The Act is now in conference committee where a group of senators and representatives will determine which pieces to keep from the House and Senate versions. Today or tomorrow, Senator Schatz is expected to introduce a motion to include FEPLA in the conference agreement. There may also be a separate motion asking the conference committee to focus on comp time and tax incentives instead of a paid family leave program. These tax incentives don’t encourage new businesses to provide paid family leave, however – they usually just go towards businesses that already have it. Please call, email, and tweet at your Senators to ...

The Family Care Act would establish a paid family medical leave program in PA, granting working Pennsylvanians the time to care for themselves or other family members, such as an elderly loved one in need of in-home care, a child recovering from a serious illness, or an infant in the critical months following birth or adoption. Join Family Care Act Sponsors Representative Wendi Thomas (R-Bucks) and Senator Maria Collett (D-Montgomery), along with a panel of experts, as they discuss how their legislation would benefit working families and help Pennsylvania’s small businesses compete. The forum is free and open to the public. RSVP at  https://www.facebook.com/events/2282252015422833/ .

The House and Senate are heading home soon to meet with their constituents - you. If there's something on your mind, now is a great time to set up a meeting to discuss it. If you're not sure how to go about setting up a meeting (or what to do once you're there), check out our information below. Decide what you want to meet about: There's so many issues to discuss right now - things like  immigration  and  paid family leave/the FAMILY Act. .... Think about what matters to you, and do a little research to learn more until you feel comfortable talking about it When you are ready, find your member of Congress here , and then ask to speak with the scheduler to set up a meeting. Here's a sample script: "Hi, my name is _________, and I'd like to speak to the scheduler about setting up a meeting with Rep. _______ during the August recess. I'm very interested in talking to the representative about __________. In most cases, you will need to go to the legi...

*** Sign the Petition !*** On Wednesday June 5, a bipartisan group of State Senators and Representatives will be hosting a press conference at the PA State Capitol in Harrisburg to announce "The Family Care Act" - a bill that will establish a statewide family and medical leave program. PathWays PA is proud to support the  Family Care Campaign  along with the Women and Girls Foundation and countless partners. We have been working hard to get this bill introduced in the legislature, and now we need your help to get it passed!  We invite you to join us for this special day of action – please let us know if you will be attending !