Pennsylvania’s Capitol building in Harrisburg. (Photo by Amanda Berg for the Capital-Star)
The state House Labor & Industry Committee advanced two bills on Monday, even as the majority and minority chairs argued over partisanship.
House Bill 2548 , would guarantee that all workers employed in the state would earn one hour of paid leave for every 40 hours worked and could use up to 40 hours of leave per year. It passed along party lines.
“This earned leave could be used for any reason, an illness of the worker or their family member, an important appointment, or a personal reason,” said state Rep. Jen O’Mara (D-Delaware), sponsor of the legislation. “Having the ability to earn and use paid leave means a person doesn’t have to choose between a paycheck and going to work or caring for a sick loved one. It means a parent can afford to take a day off work to chaperone their child’s field trip.”
O’Mara added that the bill creates a small business grant program to help employers implement its provisions and argued that nearly 20 other states already have enacted similar legislation, along with some local municipalities.