Baker Votes for Bill to Get Pennsylvanians Off Unemployment and Back to Work

HARRISBURG - Unemployed Pennsylvanians who engage in job dodging by sabotaging their own efforts to get hired would jeopardize their Unemployment Compensation (UC) benefits under a bill voted for by Sen. Lisa Baker (R-20) that was recently approved by the Senate.

"In recent years, Pennsylvania has taken a series of steps to remove bottlenecks and glitches from the UC system to make sure that eligible recipients receive their benefits in a timely fashion. These measures have improved the situation, but do not address every flaw in the process," Baker said. "Unfortunately, there are always people who seek to take advantage of the system, which puts extra costs on taxpayers and diminishes public trust. This bill reinforces the purpose of the system, encouraging people to make every effort to get back on the job. Our intent is to provide the efficiency and accountability that people expect from benefit programs."

Senate Bill 1109 would reform Pennsylvania's Unemployment Compensation system by prohibiting recipients from engaging in job dodging to include skipping a job interview, and refusing employment or referrals for employment, to continue receiving benefits.

The bill now heads to the state House of Representatives for consideration.

CONTACT: Jennifer Wilson