ABINGTON, PA − January 20, 2026 − Today, Senate Democratic Policy Committee Chair Nick Miller held a hearing to examine the Small Necessities Leave Act.

“When working families succeed, our commonwealth succeeds,” said Senator Nick Miller. “We must prioritize the needs of working families who often face unexpected challenges while balancing the duties of being a parent and an employee. Today, we heard from testifiers who reinforced that we must work towards creating policies that help families thrive and build a brighter future for all.”

“The workforce has changed, families have changed, and our laws must keep up,” said Senator Haywood. “Parents and caregivers should not have to choose between keeping their job and showing up for a child’s school conference, a medical appointment, or caring for an aging loved one. The Small Necessities Leave Act would allow for up 20 hours of leave for working families. It is a practical, proven first step toward a stronger family leave system in Pennsylvania.”

Lonnie Golden, Professor of Economics and Labor-Human Resources at Penn State University Abington, began the hearing with how the Small Necessities Leave Act will impact workplace flexibility and patterns and disparities in other types of leave.

“Many workers especially low-wage earners and part-time employees lack access to paid leaves, all 4-5 types of leaves, and are often forced to choose between caregiving duties and earning income thus lack a formal support system for attending to kinds of family-critical events,” said Golden.

Golden also highlighted the policy implications of this act, which addresses critical gaps in the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

Blake Emmauel, Director of Advocacy and Policy at The Fund for Women and Girls, spoke on how the Small Necessities Leave Act has shown in other states to positively impact both employees and employers that addresses the historical and institutionalized consequences of sexism, racism, ableism, as well as gender and race-based employment segregation.

“Years of inadequate workplace policies and cultural expectations have resulted in women earning less than men,” said Emmauel. “Access to leave allows for continued access to the labor force, helping women maintain earnings, benefits, and career progression. States that have policies, such as short-term leave, have lower gender wage gaps than states, like Pennsylvania, that do not.”

Dan O’Brien, the Family Economic Stability Director, at Children First testified states like New Jersey, New York, Maryland, and Delaware have implemented paid leave and other benefits that attract families to stay and present a significant opportunity to establish similar policies.

“As parents, our number one job is to care for our kids,” said O’Brien. “Imagine having to choose between protecting your job and getting your child the medical attention they need. There are many parents throughout Pennsylvania who simply cannot leave work to take their sick kid to the doctor.”

Obrien also stated, “Without action, Pennsylvania parents will continue to have to choose between the immediate health of their children and the long-term financial stability of their household. Without action, parents will miss important life milestones their kids may achieve at school. Moments that make a lifelong impact on kids.”

Nina Coffey, Secretary-Treasurer at SEIU 668, testified on the simple realities as a working parent, what she witnessed in her line of work, and why this small amount of time is crucial for working families.

“When I worked in a county assistance job, I spent my days assisting people who are already doing everything they could to get by,” said Coffey. “Many of the people coming through our doors were working, they weren’t looking for handouts. They were trying to make low wages stretch far enough to cover rent, food, utilities, and childcare.”

Hillary Shah, Attorney at Community Legal Services, spoke on her experience at her organization assisting over 130,000 low-income residents in Philadelphia.

“One of the most common and destabilizing issues my clients routinely face is the lack of access to paid leave,” said Shah. “That’s why I am here. Community Legal Services supports the Small Necessities Leave Act.” 

Testifiers for today’s hearing included:  

Penn State University Abington
The Fund for Women and Girls
Children First
SEIU 668
Community Legal Services

Senator Nick Miller was elected Policy Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus in December 2024.

Footage of the hearing, as well as the written testimony of the panel, is available at PASenatorMiller.com/Policy. Photographs and downloadable video are available upon request.   

Learn more about the PA Senate Democrats’ priorities, visit www.pasenate.com.   

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An Insight to the Legislation

Supporting Families

Backing Workers and Communities

Nina Coffey, Secretary-Treasurer – SEIU 668
Hillary Shah, Attorney – Community Legal Services