Pennsylvania Labor and Industry Secretary Praises House for Passing Work Sharing Bill

Urges Senate to Act Swiftly to Establish Program in Use in 17 Other States

HARRISBURG, Pa., April 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Labor & Industry Secretary Sandi Vito today applauded the House of Representatives for unanimously passing House Bill 2160, a measure that would establish a work sharing program in Pennsylvania to help prevent layoffs.

"This legislation is about protecting good jobs now and in the future," Vito said. "It is also about ensuring that Pennsylvania's companies remain competitive and its workers continue to provide for their families, especially during times of recession. I urge the Senate to now act swiftly to provide employers and employees with this valuable tool for economic success."

Work sharing would enable businesses to avoid permanent layoffs by reducing the number of regularly scheduled hours of work for all or part of their workforce. Employees whose hours are reduced through a work sharing program would be eligible for unemployment compensation for those lost work hours. Because work sharing is an alternative to layoffs, there would be no additional costs to the commonwealth's Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund.

Seventeen states have enacted work sharing programs, which were first adopted in California, Arizona and Oregon in 1982. Pennsylvania is one of seven states considering work sharing legislation.

The popularity of work sharing has increased during the current economic recession. Nationwide, the number of employees filing new work sharing claims increased to 341,200 in 2009, from 117,400 in 2008, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Media contact: David Smith, 717-787-1323

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry

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