On Monday December 22, 2025, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed HB 274 into law. The new law, among other things, amends the Pennsylvania Unemployment Compensation Law, 43 P.S. § 402, et seq., by adding a provision expressly protecting victims of domestic violence from disqualification under the existing “voluntary quit” or “failure to report” standards. Pursuant to the new law, a claimant will not be deemed ineligible if continued employment would jeopardize the claimant’s personal safety or that of a family/household member due to a domestic violence situation. The law also includes specific provisions to ensure confidentiality of the domestic violence situation.
The claimant can produce verifying information through several sources: (1) an active or recently issued protective order or other order, court records, police record, medical treatment records, social services records, or child protective services records; (2) a supporting statement from a qualified professional from whom the claimant has sought assistance, including counselor, shelter worker, clergy member, attorney, healthcare worker, or friend or relative; (3) a self-affirming statement from claimant that continued employment would jeopardize claimant or a family/household member’s safety due to domestic violence; or (4) any other type of evidence that reasonably proves domestic violence.
The new section of the law also directs that the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (the “department”) shall not inform employers of a domestic violence situation in any notice provided to employers. Once the employee provides information satisfactory to the department, the department must expedite the eligibility determination to fulfill the policy of the law which is to expedite benefits to domestic violence victims during a critical time.
Another provision of the law aims to clarify that claimants must make a “good faith effort” to obtain suitable work and may not “unreasonably discourage” their own hire. Examples cited in the law are: (i) refusing to attend or failing to participate, without good cause, in a job interview or other applicant selection process; (ii) refusing employment, or a referral for employment, without good cause, prior to an interview, or a discussion of the details of a job with the employer.
The law goes on to direct the department within 90 days to create forms to enable employers to report claimants who violate this provision. The provisions discussed above take effect immediately.
The Employer Takeaway:
This new law was clearly focused on providing domestic violence victims with a pathway to expedited unemployment compensation. Although the new law contemplates supporting documentation from “qualified professionals”, it does not define same, and the law allows the claimant themselves to offer a “self-affirming statement” in support of the claim. Further, because employers will not be notified of the domestic violence situation when provided with notice of the claim by the department, it remains to be seen how these claims will be administered. The benefit to employers from this legislation appears to be the fact that they will receive automatic relief from U.C. Contribution charges for any claims approved under the domestic violence provision and further will receive automatic charge relief when a claimant is disqualified for failing to use good faith efforts to obtain suitable work by unreasonably discouraging their own hire.
As this is an entirely new component to unemployment compensation law, it will take some time for the administration of the law to develop. Employers with any questions are encouraged to contact partner Kevin A. Moore or any member of Barley Snyder’s Employment Practice Group.
