PRINTER'S NO. 4179
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
2729
Session of
2020
INTRODUCED BY OTTEN, HOHENSTEIN, DALEY, YOUNGBLOOD, GALLOWAY,
KINSEY, DRISCOLL, STEPHENS, CIRESI, SCHWEYER, HILL-EVANS,
DeLUCA, ROZZI, SANCHEZ, DONATUCCI AND KENYATTA, JULY 30, 2020
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND INDUSTRY, JULY 30, 2020
AN ACT
Amending the act of December 5, 1936 (2nd Sp.Sess., 1937
P.L.2897, No.1), entitled "An act establishing a system of
unemployment compensation to be administered by the
Department of Labor and Industry and its existing and newly
created agencies with personnel (with certain exceptions)
selected on a civil service basis; requiring employers to
keep records and make reports, and certain employers to pay
contributions based on payrolls to provide moneys for the
payment of compensation to certain unemployed persons;
providing procedure and administrative details for the
determination, payment and collection of such contributions
and the payment of such compensation; providing for
cooperation with the Federal Government and its agencies;
creating certain special funds in the custody of the State
Treasurer; and prescribing penalties," in emergency
provisions related to COVID-19, providing for exemptions.
Section 1. The act of December 5, 1936 (2nd Sp.Sess., 1937
P.L.2897, No.1), known as the Unemployment Compensation Law, is
amended by adding a section to read:
Section 1602.1. Exemptions.
(a) Exemptions.--A claimant shall be exempt from the
requirements of section 402(a), shall continue to receive
unemployment compensation benefits provided under this act and
may refuse work if the claimant:
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(1) needs to remain at home to care for a child while
schools are closed as a result of a disaster emergency;
(2) has no access to child care due to the closure of
child-care facilities as a result of a disaster emergency ;
(3) has a child over six years of age and child care is
limited to children under six years of age as a result of a
disaster emergency ;
(4) is employed in a service industry and is paid a wage
that fails to meet the cost of child care plus living
expenses , which includes the costs of housing, food, health
insurance and transportation to the claimant's place of
employment, as a result of a disaster emergency ;
(5) is at increased risk of contracting COVID-19 because
of an underlying medical condition verified by a statement by
a physician specifying the underlying medical condition and
documenting increased susceptibility to contracting COVID-19;
(6) is over 65 years of age;
(7) lives or cares for vulnerable, at-risk individuals;
or
(8) is on Public Health Emergency Leave under the
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Public Law 116-127,
29 U.S.C. ยงยง 2612(a)(1)(F) and 2620).
(b) Definition.--As used in this section, "disaster
emergency" means the proclamation of disaster emergency issued
by the Governor on March 6, 2020, published at 50 Pa.B. 1644
(March 21, 2020), and any renewal of the state of disaster
emergency.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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