HARRISBURG, PA. (KYW Newsradio) — The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a bill this week that supporters said would help address the worker shortage.
People on unemployment are required to actively be looking for jobs. Bucks County Republican Shelby Labs says her bill doesn't change policy, it just makes court rulings and case law clear about what is required to remain eligible for unemployment.
"[It's] intended to clarify current law based on decades of case law regarding claimants who take action to unreasonably discourage their own hire," she said.
Labs said that includes failing to attend a job interview without a good reason, or "refusing an offer or referral for work prior to a discussion of job details, or other bad faith actions on the part of the claimant."
But Lancaster County Democrat Michael Sturla argued the bill was too vague on the definition of "discourage." He asked what would happen if someone argued they can't afford to take a job under a certain wage threshold, using $15 an hour as an example.
"Is that considered dissuading my employer or my potential employer from hiring me," he asked, "because they say 'Well, I can't pay $15 an hour, so therefore, now you don't qualify for unemployment?'"
Philadelphia Democrat Malcolm Kenyatta called the bill a publicity stunt.
"We're sitting here talking about anecdotal stories of people not showing up for work, when people are desperate to work. But people want to work in a place where they're actually paid a living wage," he said.
The bill passed the House, 176-23, with a bipartisan majority that included a majority of Democrats.
