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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. John T. Galloway |
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Hearing held on Galloway's employment verification bills
HARRISBURG, June 11 – The House Labor Relations Committee held a public hearing in Harrisburg today on state Rep. John Galloway's bills that would reduce the number of illegal workers in Pennsylvania.
"These bills would make it much harder for employers to intentionally hire illegal aliens because they would require employers to verify their workers' employment eligibility," Galloway said. "Illegal aliens willing to work under the radar and for less pay, and the dishonest construction companies willing to hire them, are pushing hard-working Pennsylvanians from the payrolls to the unemployment rolls."
The hearing featured testimony on H.B. 1502, which would require state contractors and subcontractors that work on public projects to verify the employment eligibility of their employees, and H.B. 1503, which would require all contractors in the construction industry to verify the employment eligibility of their employees. Both bills would require use of the Social Security Number Verification Service to verify existing employees, and the E-Verify Program for newly hired employees.
"Businesses that hire illegal workers, pay them less and forego safe working conditions, have an unfair advantage over businesses that play by the rules," Galloway said. "These bills would not only ensure living wages and quality work environments for people in the construction trades, but would also level the playing field in what is a very competitive field."
Both bills have bipartisan support in the House.
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