HARRISBURG – Legislation sponsored by Lehigh County Rep. Ryan Mackenzie that would assist domestic violence victims in PA when applying for unemployment compensation benefits received bipartisan approval in the state House. House Bill 1446 would clarify current law regarding a domestic violence victim’s eligibility for benefits. Victims would have several methods for documenting their situation and expedite the benefit application process. Mackenzie noted that the bill would end any confusion for employers when someone leaves work due to a domestic violence situation by providing them with automatic relief from charges to avoid impacting their tax rates for the claims (unless the domestic violence situation itself was attributable to the employment). The bill is supported by the PA Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Community Legal Services, and Philadelphia Legal Assistance. The bill now goes to the PA Senate for consideration.
REP. RYAN MACKENZIE