PathWays PA Policy Blog

Today I had the opportunity to present materials on paid leave and financial resources at a cancer navigators meeting. We're putting these materials online so more people can access them. Special thanks to PathWays PA (in particular Paula Staton) and Family Values @ Work for their research and support! Laws that help patients and caregivers at work Financial Resources for patients and caregivers Resources for staff and counselors to share Put the FMLA to Work for You (PS- please remember that bit.ly links have to be typed exactly as they are, including capitalization, to work!)

PathWays PA has compiled an extensive list of programs that can meet the needs of many Pennsylvania residents in our updated Financial Resources Guide . This easy-to-use guide can help anyone find the programs they need and includes information on who qualifies for the program and how to apply. The Financial Resources Guide includes links for people who need help paying for childcare, finding health insurance, and much more. There is also contact information listed by county in our County Help Chart . Please let us know what you think! Interested in PathWays PA blog posts on similar topics? 7/7/15 - Summer Food News 9/4/14 - Jobs Are Returning, But Hunger Remains 7/13/13 - PA Agency Offers Food Aid to Low-Income Children

From our friends at the Coalition Human Needs More than 2 million unemployed Americans have lost their jobless benefits to date. At 2:00PM, a Twitter Storm will take place to bring attention to the issue. If you support extending unemployment insurance, you can take action now. Ask your congressional delegation members and House Speaker John Boehner to renew Unemployment Insurance. Here are some sample tweets. Please use #RenewUI (@your congressperson) Ask @SpeakerBoehner to schedule a UI floor vote ASAP with no harmful amendments; then please vote for it. #RenewUI  (@your congressperson) It is time to #RenewUI and help the thousands of unemployed workers in #PA - Ask@SpeakerBoehner to bring UI to the floor   (@your congressperson) It is time to #RenewUI and help the thousands of unemployed workers in #PA - Ask@SpeakerBoehner to bring UI to the floor  If you can't participate in the twitter storm, there are other ways to help .

From our friends at the Coalition on Human Needs As of April 5, more than 2 million unemployed workers have lost jobless benefits. The Senate will vote tonight on final passage of the bill to restore unemployment benefits for the long-term jobless. Please don't leave anything to chance: Speak to your Senators about how you want them to vote. And tell the House to take a vote. Ask Congress to vote to restore Emergency Unemployment Compensation . Contact your Representative and ask him/her to urge Speaker John Boehner to bring up the Senate bill to restore Unemployment Compensation for a House vote ASAP.

From our Friends at National Women's Law Center Today, the Senate will be voting on extending federal unemployment benefits. The bill may also come up in the House soon. Please Call Senators and urge them to restore federal emergency unemployment insurance. Why should Congress restore these benefits? Here are just a few reasons: Unemployment insurance kept more than 1.7 million people, including 655,000 women and 446,000 children, from falling into poverty in 2012. Long-term unemployment remains near record-high levels; nearly 4.1 million jobless workers have been searching for a job for more than six months. Unemployment rates for single mothers and other vulnerable groups are higher than they were when the recession began. If Congress doesn't act to renew the federal unemployment insurance program this year, another 3.6 million people and their families will lose access to these benefits by the end of 2014 (in addition to the 1.3 million who have already seen the...

From our Friends at NELP  More than 1.3 million Americans will be totally cut off of their federal unemployment benefits three days after Christmas, and nearly 2 million more will not have access to those benefits by mid-2014 once their state unemployment benefits end, unless Congress renews the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program before it expires on December 28.  The House of Representatives is scheduled to adjourn and go home for their holiday recess this Friday, December 13, leaving only a few days this week to renew federal EUC benefits for millions of unemployed jobseekers. Call toll-free 1-888-245-0215 and ask Congress to renew unemployment insurance for millions of unemployed this holiday season.

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...

The new Kids Count policy report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows that 6.5 million 16- to 24-year-olds are jobless and out of school. The lack of education, opportunity and connection to school or work has long-term implications for their financial stability as adults and can present significant costs to taxpayers, as government spends more to support them. The report emphasizes the need to provide multiple, flexible pathways to success for disconnected young people and find ways to reengage high-school dropouts. The report also advocates creating experiences that allow youth to gain early job skills through community service, internships, summer and part-time work and other opportunities.

There is so much going on right now that we did not want to miss an opportunity to update you even on issues that are not budget related. Please see our recent blog posts on Ending Human Trafficking in Pennsylvania and the Paycheck Fairness Act . State Budget Update In early May, the Pennsylvania Senate approved a 2012-13 budget plan (SB 1466), spending about $500 million more than the Governor proposed. The House is expected to vote on SB 1466 the week of June 4th. Yesterday the House Appropriates Committee passed SB 1466 out of committee. There is a spend ceiling of $27.6 billion and House members are asked to keep any amendments revenue neutral. This has upset some members who are seeking amendments based on the findings of the Independent Fiscal Office that there is an additional $300 million the state has access to. While the Committee would not increase the spend number, it was mentioned that there may be an opportunity to add additional funding on the House floo...

From our friends at Half in Ten . March 7, 2012, 10:00am – 11:00am Admission is free. RSVP to attend this event or Watch Live Online Distinguished panelists: Robert Greenstein, President of Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Lawrence Korb, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress Koby J. Langley, Senior Advisor to the CEO, Corporation for National and Community Service Tom Tarantino, Deputy Policy Director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America Moderator: Neera Tanden, Counselor to Center for American Progress Action Fund and President, Center for American Progress As our nation winds down wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, hundreds of thousands of veterans are coming home. But too many of them are returning to levels of unemployment higher than that of the civilian population, poverty, and even homelessness. What can we do to ensure they return to jobs and opportunity? As America wrangles over the right way to cut our long-term deficits, we face critical ...

From our friends at INSIGHT and NNSP . Join us for a free webinar this Thursday, March 1 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Pacific / 2:00 - 3:30 PM Eastern "How do alternative staffing organizations help low-wage workers gain employment?" "What are the outcomes of alternative staffing organizations?" "How do alternative staffing organizations function as business enterprises?" "How can workforce development organizations incorporate alternative staffing into their service delivery model?" This webinar provides an opportunity for sector initiatives and others to learn about alternative staffing organizations (ASOs), which use a fee-for-service model to help unemployed job-seekers gain employment. Like sector initiatives, ASOs serve as intermediaries in their local labor markets, providing supports and opportunities for job-seekers while becoming trusted sources of employees for their business customers. In the webinar, staff from Goodwill Staffing ...

We at PathWays PA wish you a happy holiday season! This will be out last E-Newsletter for 2011 but we look forward to bringing you updates in the new year! In the meantime, please check our Policy Blog for any updates. Federal Updates HOUSE ESTABLISHES NEW CAUCUS ON FOSTER YOUTH Recently, the House of Representatives established the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth , a 36 member caucus which aims to give a voice to children in the child welfare system. In 2012, many members will embark on a listening tour for those directly involved in the system. The Child Welfare League of America is encouraging people to share with Representatives in the Caucus their own stories of firsthand experience and knowledge to help shape debate on the issues. For more information please click here . PLANS WOULD RESTRICT TAX CREDIT ELIGIBILITY As part of ongoing negotiations to extend unemployment benefits, a recent proposal in the House of Representatives calls for cu...

From our friends at the National Skills Coalition . There’s still time to register for National Skills Coalition’s upcoming Federal Policy Audio Update on Thursday, December 15 at 1:00pm EST . A flurry of year-end congressional activity is likely to have significant impacts on our nation's workforce development system. Congress is expected to take up this week an omnibus spending bill for Fiscal Year 2012 that may include more than $2 billion in cuts to workforce development programs under the Department of Labor, and major restrictions on the ability of working students to receive federal Pell Grants. Congress will also take up a year-end “extenders” bill that may dramatically impact funding levels and participant eligibility—creating new education requirements—for unemployment insurance (UI), and creating new restrictions on the use of TANF funds. And if that weren’t enough, last week saw the introduction of House and Senate bills to eliminate dozens of federal job training ...

Federal Updates ASK CONGRESS TO MAKE JOBS A PRIORITY BY SUPPORTING PATHWAYS BACK TO WORK The Pathways Back to Work Act (S. 1841, H.R. 3425) is meant to address the ongoing jobs crisis that has left over 13 million people out of work, millions more underemployed and a disproportionate number of individuals that experience barriers to employment without access to employment opportunities. The measures within the bill are based on successful and widely implemented state and local efforts and would create employment and training opportunities for adults and youth, benefit employers, and promote economic growth. This is a critical step forward in meeting the employment needs of Americans struggling with high unemployment and for those experiencing hardship. Please join in telling Congress that helping Americans get back to work must be their priority. Three things you can do today: Tell your members of Congress to co-sponsor the Pathways Back to Work Act. Keep the pressure on - Twe...

Federal Updates WOMEN STILL BEHIND MEN IN NEW ECONOMIC RECOVERY The latest figures from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) have found that economic recovery has been slower coming to women: According to the most recent Quick Figures on the topic (released in November), men have regained 30 percent of the jobs they lost since December 2007; while women have only regained 17 percent. In sheer numbers, the job gap between men and women stands at 1.5 million. The IWPR/Rockefeller survey showed that many women and families are facing hardships in the recovery. In some cases, women and mothers are being forced to cut back on items such as insurance or visits to the doctor for themselves and their children. For more information on the IWPR/Rockefeller Survey, please visit the website .  For more information, visit the IWPR website . HELP PRESERVE SNAP AND OTHER NUTRITION PROGRAMS Congress is currently debating the content of the next Farm ...

Yesterday, the New York Times published an article by Sam Dillon, discussing huge increases in the number of children nationwide who are receiving free or reduce-price school lunches since many of their parents have recently lost their jobs or homes. According to the article, the number of students receiving subsidized lunches was at 18 million in the 2006-2007 school year and peaked at 21 million last year. Fiscal year 2010 saw 1.3 million additional children eligible for free lunches, the largest increase in program participation since 1972. Statistics from program enrollment make it clear that families in both urban and suburban areas are suffering financially due to the economic crisis. Many of the children who have recently enrolled in the program are from formerly middle-income families living in suburban neighborhoods, while urban school districts have been dominated by children who's families are poor enough to qualify for free lunches for years. Some urban school distr...

Federal Updates SUPER COMMITTEE FAILS TO REACH A COMPROMISE; AUTOMATIC SPENDING CUTS TRIGGERED The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, also known as the Super Committee in Congress, failed to address the necessary amount of cuts to reduce the federal deficit, triggering automatic $1.3 trillion cuts set to begin in 2013. Many of the disagreements came over reticence on tax increases and cuts to social safety net programs like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Half the cuts to come will be from defense programs, while certain federal programs – including Medicaid, Social Security and SNAP (Food stamps) – will initially be insulated from such cuts. However, other domestic spending programs may be in danger of losing funding. To learn more about what some national groups are saying regarding the Super Committee, please visit the following links: Super Committee Unable to Reach Deal : National Skills Coalition Super Committee Cannot Leap O...

From our friends at the Coalition on Human Needs . On October 4th and 5th, people across the country will be calling their Senators to make sure that deficit reduction doesn’t mean more people going hungry . The “super committee” is currently debating a deal to reduce the deficit. Some proposals could cut essential programs that families need to get by; programs like Medicaid, SNAP (food stamps), housing assistance and other important services. We need a plan that puts us on the right track by investing in jobs, protecting low-income people, sharing the burden by asking top-income households and profitable corporations to contribute more revenues, and seeking savings from reducing waste in the military and elsewhere. Please, raise your voice and contact your senators, on behalf of parents everywhere who are struggling to put food on the table.  Call toll-free at 888-907-1485 . When you call the toll-free number, follow the instructions and you'll be connected to your Senat...

While I have been trying to keep up with the news on the latest poverty data, today was my first opportunity to work with it.  As I began to look at the changes from 2009 to 2010, I came across a surprising discovery: the highest percentage point increase in poverty in the five county area was not in Philadelphia - it was in Bucks County.

From our friends at the Coalition on Human Needs Please join us in a conversation with White House staff about the President's New Deficit Reduction and Job Creation Plan: 2:00 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday, September 22 Call 800-401-8436 The President's just-announced plan, Living Within Our Means and Investing in the Future , is a comprehensive approach to solving the nation's short- and long-term problems. It includes the American Jobs Act, legislation investing $447 billion to fund teachers and public safety workers, modernize schools and other infrastructure, target job creation in low-income communities, provide extra help to long-term unemployed, youth, and other especially vulnerable groups, and protect the jobless with an extension of federal Unemployment Insurance. It also includes $1.5 trillion in revenues from progressive sources as part of its 10-year deficit reduction plan. You may have heard the President speak of the "Buffett rule" - s...