The Pennsylvania House passed two significant pieces of legislation last week that would raise the state’s minimum wage and establish a paid family and medical leave program.
House Bill 2189, sponsored by state Representative Jason Dawkins, proposes to increase Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to $15 by 2029. The bill also includes a provision for permanently indexing the wage to inflation. The measure passed the House with a vote of 104-95. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) has opposed this bill, warning lawmakers about potential unintended consequences for small businesses. NFIB referenced its survey indicating that Pennsylvania could lose over 101,000 jobs if similar legislation were enacted, with nearly 57,000 job losses projected among small businesses.
In addition to the minimum wage proposal, House Bill 200 aims to create a paid family and medical leave program in Pennsylvania. Sponsored by state Representative Jennifer O’Mara, this bill was approved by the House in a vote of 107-92. If enacted into law, employers across the state—including those with only one employee—would be required to offer paid family and sick leave. Employees would become eligible for these benefits after working for just eighteen weeks.
NFIB has expressed opposition to this mandate as well, stating it could negatively impact small business owners who are already facing labor shortages and reduced profit margins. According to NFIB’s statement: “This legislation would require small employers to process claims, calculate benefits, pay out benefits, educate employees on access to paid leave, and continue healthcare coverage during leave.”
The passage of these bills marks an important step in ongoing debates over labor policy in Pennsylvania. Both measures will now proceed to the Senate for further consideration.
