Pennsylvania SB 743: An Act amending the act of December 5, 1936 (2nd Sp.Sess., 1937 P.L.2897, No.1), known as the Unemployment Compensation Law, in administration of act, further providing for State Unemployment Compensation Advisory Counsel.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 793
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 743
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY DUSH AND STEFANO, MAY 12, 2025
REFERRED TO LABOR AND INDUSTRY, MAY 12, 2025
AN ACT
Amending the act of December 5, 1936 (2nd Sp.Sess., 1937
P.L.2897, No.1), entitled "An act establishing a system of
unemployment compensation to be administered by the
Department of Labor and Industry and its existing and newly
created agencies with personnel (with certain exceptions)
selected on a civil service basis; requiring employers to
keep records and make reports, and certain employers to pay
contributions based on payrolls to provide moneys for the
payment of compensation to certain unemployed persons;
providing procedure and administrative details for the
determination, payment and collection of such contributions
and the payment of such compensation; providing for
cooperation with the Federal Government and its agencies;
creating certain special funds in the custody of the State
Treasurer; and prescribing penalties," in administration of
act, further providing for State Unemployment Compensation
Advisory Counsel.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 204.1(k) introductory paragraph of the
act of December 5, 1936 (2nd Sp.Sess., 1937 P.L.2897, No.1),
known as the Unemployment Compensation Law, is amended, the
subsection is amended by adding a paragraph and the section is
amended by adding a subsection to read:
Section 204.1. State Unemployment Compensation Advisory
Council.--* * *
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26

(k) The department shall also prepare and present to the
Governor and the General Assembly, on or before the first day of
March of each year, an evaluation of the financial operations of
the unemployment compensation program, together with its
findings and recommendations for developing and improving
solvency of the fund and adjusting and regulating income and
disbursements in the fields of contributions and benefits.
[Such] The report shall include the presentation of the current
economic trends, statistics and analyses on which the evaluation
is based. The department shall post a copy of the report on the
department's publicly accessible Internet website. This
evaluation shall include all of the following:
* * *
(1.1) The following information:
(i) Total number of individuals unemployed fifteen (15)
weeks or longer, as a percent of the civilian labor force.
(ii) Total number of job losers and individuals who
completed temporary employment, as a percent of the civilian
labor force.
(iii) Total number of individuals unemployed, as a percent
of the civilian labor force.
(iv) Total number of individuals unemployed plus discouraged
workers, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus
discouraged workers.
(v) Total number of individuals unemployed, plus discouraged
workers, plus all other marginally attached workers, as a
percent of the civilian labor force plus all marginally attached
workers.
(vi) Total number of individuals unemployed, plus all
marginally attached workers, plus total number of individuals
20250SB0743PN0793 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30

employed part time for economic reasons, as a percent of the
civilian labor force plus all marginally attached workers.
* * *
(l) As used in this section, the following words and phrases
shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:
"Civilian labor force" means all individuals sixteen (16)
years of age or older who are classified as either employed or
unemployed.
"Discouraged worker" means an individual who is:
(1) not in the labor force;
(2) wants, and is available for, employment; and
(3) has looked for employment some time in the prior twelve
(12) months but has not recently looked for employment for
reasons related to the job market.
"Employed" means an individual who did any work at all for
pay or profit or worked fifteen (15) hours or more without pay
in a family business or on a farm, including an individual who
is not working but has employment from which the individual was
temporarily absent, whether or not paid, due to a labor-
management dispute, illness or vacation.
"Employed part time for economic reasons" means an individual
who wants, and is available for, full-time employment but is
employed on a part-time schedule.
"Job loser" means an individual who lost employment due to
layoff or other dismissal.
"Marginally attached worker" means an individual who is
currently neither employed nor looking for employment but
indicates a desire for employment, is able to work and has
looked for employment in the past twelve (12) months.
"Unemployed" means an individual who is not employed but has
20250SB0743PN0793 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30

looked for employment in the last four (4) weeks and is
available to work.
Section 2. T