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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Matt Bradford |
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Bradford work-sharing bill unanimously advances out of committee
HARRISBURG, March 17 – The House Labor Relations Committee today unanimously approved legislation (H.B. 2160) authored by state Rep. Matt Bradford that would allow work-sharing programs for Pennsylvania employers and employees.
"The experience of several states shows that the popularity of work sharing has increased dramatically during the current economic downturn," said Bradford, D-Montgomery. "My proposal would save countless jobs, preserve workers’ benefits and prevent a drain on an already stressed unemployment compensation fund in Pennsylvania. Additionally, employers would be able to maintain their already trained and experienced workforce. With bipartisan support and the endorsement of business and labor, this legislation is good public policy and further evidence that job preservation and creation must be priority one."
Shared-work programs allow employers to avoid permanent layoffs by reducing the number of regularly scheduled hours of work for all or part of their workforce. Workers would then be eligible to offset reductions in pay through the state’s unemployment compensation program.
Under a work-sharing program, an employee is eligible to receive shared-work benefits in proportion to the reduction in hours under the plan. For example, an employee whose hours are reduced 20 percent would normally be eligible for 20 percent of the weekly unemployment compensation benefit he would receive if unemployed.
The bill now goes to the full House for a vote.