This information is extracted from the newsletter from one of the “good guys” who takes seriously the responsibilities of an elected “public servant.” State Representative Ryan Aument, we believe, is doing the “right stuff.” 

“The House Labor and Industry Committee, to which I am a member of, held a joint hearing this week with the Senate on legislation to address the ‘voluntary quit’ and ‘willful misconduct’ eligibility provisions in Pennsylvania’s Unemployment Compensation Law. House Bill 1754 would tighten unemployment eligibility for individuals who voluntarily quit their jobs by requiring such persons to demonstrate they did so for reasons that are directly attributable to their employment. The bill also addresses willful misconduct by defining specific actions that would lead to ineligibility of benefits. In cases where a court ruling is made in willful misconduct cases, the bill would not allow a judge’s opinion to affect the final decision on the awarding of benefits.

In addition, legislation was also introduced that would use occupational wage data as a means to establish prevailing wage rates in Pennsylvania. The Prevailing Wage Act of 1961 requires workers on public projects costing more than $25,000 to be paid the prevailing wage in their region. How that rate of pay is determined was not part of the original act. House Bill 1367 would use occupational wage data collected by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Labor and Statistics on a county-by-county basis twice each year to determine a true measure of the prevailing ‘minimum’ wage. 

“Both bills are awaiting consideration in the House Labor and Industry Committee.”

[NOTE: The issue of prevailing wage has been introduced in Columbia Borough Council meetings as a significant budget issue by the borough manager.]