Pennsylvania Senate Bill SB29

Pennsylvania 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/22/25
• Refer: 1/22/25

Caption

An Act prohibiting discrimination against individuals based on unemployment status; providing for powers and duties of the Department of Labor and Industry; and imposing a penalty.

Summary

SB29 would add unemployment status as a protected characteristic under Pennsylvania law, prohibiting discrimination against individuals because they are unemployed. The bill also assigns the Department of Labor and Industry responsibilities related to implementation and enforcement, and it includes a penalty for violations. Based on the caption, the measure appears aimed at preventing adverse treatment in contexts covered by state anti-discrimination law, though the full statutory language is not available in the provided text. In practical terms, the bill would affect employers, businesses, and other entities subject to state anti-discrimination requirements by limiting the use of unemployment status in decision-making. It would likely require the Department of Labor and Industry to administer complaints, guidance, or enforcement mechanisms connected to the new prohibition, and it would create or amend state law to recognize unemployment status alongside other protected categories. Because the bill text is unavailable here, the exact statutory sections amended cannot be identified from the provided materials alone.

Impact

SB29 would change Pennsylvania law by creating a new prohibition on discrimination based on unemployment status and by giving the Department of Labor and Industry administrative or enforcement authority related to that prohibition. It would likely affect employers and other covered parties by restricting hiring or other employment-related decisions that rely on a person’s unemployment status, and it would add a penalty for noncompliance.

Sentiment

No committee transcript or vote record was provided, so there is no direct evidence of support, opposition, or amendment activity in the available materials. The bill’s caption suggests a consumer- or worker-protection purpose, which typically draws support from advocates for unemployed job seekers and labor-oriented interests, but the record here does not show any formal sentiment from legislators or committees.

Contention

The main likely point of contention is whether unemployment status should be treated as a protected class and whether that would impose new compliance burdens on employers and other regulated entities. Supporters would likely emphasize fairness for job seekers facing stigma, while opponents may argue that the bill could limit legitimate hiring discretion or create enforcement challenges. Because no transcript or vote details are available, specific objections or sponsors’ responses cannot be confirmed from the provided record.