PathWays PA Policy Blog

If you shop this weekend, please keep in mind the businesses that provided sponsorship and auction items at our events this year!

Spring Event

Chubb
Jane Barr Pino & Associates
All Seasons Home Improvement
Conrad O'Brien
Jackson Cross
Crozer Keystone Health System
Comcast
TD Bank
eXude
QVC
Coldwell Banker
Pinocchio's Pizza
Keenan Auto Body
Crown Holdings
Monarch Staffing
Fischer Cunnane
Agritment Farms
Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union
White Harris
Elwyn Pharmacy
WSFS
ZRG Partners
Finit Solutions
Women In Transition
Trader Joe's

Gala

PECO
Boeing
Chubb
Allen & Shirley Speiser Foundation
LimNorris
All Seasons Home Improvement
Blank Rome
Korn Ferry
Natalie Brooks & Larry Katz
Amy & Nick Gavrishev
Bradford White
Conrad O'Brien
Jackson Cross/Cate Sennet
Jane and Bill Farran
Kroll
Language Services
McCarter & English
Sam Becker
Saul Ewing
Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP
Dr. Deebeanne Tavani and Suzanne Tavani
The Sachs, Decaro Group at Morgan Stanley
Paul Mudrick/Karen Mudrick
Donna Brennan an…

Take action on equal pay - by asking Senators to vote against an equal pay bill.

Sounds a little strange, I know. But a supposed "equal pay" bill currently before the Senate called the Workplace Advancement Act wouldn't actually help when it comes to equal pay. Here are some details from our friends at NWLC, who are also offering a way to take action here.
How does the Workplace Advancement Act fall short? Here are four key ways: • It provides super-narrow protection for talking about salary if you do so specifically to figure out whether you are being paid equally for equal work — but your employer would still be able to fire you for casual water cooler conversations about pay with co-workers — even though these sorts of conversations are how pay discrimination is often accidentally discovered. • It doesn't close the huge loopholes employers use to pay discriminatory wages. • It doesn't include penalties that would encourage employers to audit how they pay their…

Several key legislative proposals that affect Pennsylvania's 20,000+ youth who experience homelessness are stalled in Congress. Will any of these bills become law? What happens if they do not?

Find the answers to these and other questions at the inaugural "Legislative Briefing about Youth Who Experience Homelessness." The forum will discuss with Senator Robert Casey's Legislative Director the current federal legislative status of the Education for Homeless Children and Youth, the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Act, and two other bills.

On July 16, the U.S. Senate passed the Every Child Achieves Act, S. 1177, by 81-17. This legislation reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, including the education subtitle of the McKinney-Vento Act. The House passed its ESEA reauthorization bill, the Student Success Act, H.R. 5, by vote of 218-213.

The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) (P.L. 110-378) provides foundational support to address youth …

If you live in Pennsylvania, don't forget to vote today! Your vote matters more than ever, especially when it comes to the policies that affect women, girls, and families like the ones we serve every day.

If you need more information on where you are registered or who is on the ballot, please check out our post from last week. You can learn more about PA elections and get voting questions answered at www.votespa.com. Votes PA even shows demonstrations of the voting machines in your county!

If you have any problems at the polls, please call 1-866-OURVOTE.

Interested in PathWays PA blog posts on similar topics?

9/22/15 - Voting: It's Up To You7/7/15 - So What Did the Doctor Find Out about American Democracy?8/26/15 - #WeMatter on Women's Equality Day: Tweet Storm at 1PM and 9PM

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is scheduled to reopen November 2, 2015. LIHEAP is a cash grant sent directly to utility companies to help low-income households pay heating bills.

You can apply for LIHEAP online, using a paper form, or at your local County Assistance Office (CAO). There is also a LIHEAP hotline available Monday through Friday (individuals with hearing impairments may call the TDD number at 1-800-451-5886).

A Crisis program will also open in Fall 2015 to provide additional money to families in an emergency who are at risk of losing their heat. Emergencies include:
Broken/leaking heating equipment that must be fixed or replacedLack of fuelShut-off of the main or second heating sourcePotential of being without fuel (less than 15 day supply) or of having utilities shut off within 60 days. To apply for a crisis grant in most counties, you should contact your local county assistance office. However, residents of Luzerne and Wyoming Counties should co…