LABOR
Joe Sestak believes every worker in this country should be able to earn a fair wage without discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation or national origin and that every person has the right to unionize without intimidation. He is working to ensure fair wages and benefits to eliminate wage inequality at a time when real income has declined as much as 50% since 2001, meaning hardworking families are earning less than they were at that time. He believes we need to ensure stronger worker health and safety rules that protect employees from unsafe conditions. It is wrong that 5800 workers died in the workplace in 2006, 16 every day (Pennsylvania is one of 26 states with no state OSHA). In addition, it is essential for our future to create a competitive workforce that provides job assistance and better preparation- in the form of skills- to the workers who make America strong through expanded vocational training and affordable college costs; and that we provide secure retirement and pensions through expanded enrollment in retirement plans and transparent retirement plan fees, which can consume as much as 50% of retirement savings.
HIGHLIGHTS OF JOE SESTAK’S EFFORTS TO SUPPORT AMERICA’S WORKERS
Fair Wages and Benefits
Voted for Emergency Extended Unemployment Compensation
Temporary Suspension of Taxation of Unemployment Benefits.
Under current law, all federal unemployment benefits are subject to taxation. The average unemployment benefit is approximately $300 per month. The proposal temporarily suspends federal income tax on the first $2,400 of unemployment benefits per recipient. This proposal is in effect for taxable year 2009.
Extending and Improving Unemployment Benefits.
Continues through December 2009 the extended unemployment benefits program (which provides up to 33 weeks of extended benefits) that was scheduled to begin to phase out at the end of March 2009. The extension helps an additional 3.5 million jobless workers; increases unemployment benefits for 20 million jobless workers by $25 per week; encourages states to modernize their UI systems to keep up with the changing workforce with expanded coverage. Every dollar in unemployment benefits creates at least $1.63 in economic activity, according to chief economist of Moody’s Economy.com.
2. Co-sponsored and Voted for the Paycheck Fairness Act: Legislation places the burden of proof on employers for cases in which a gender pay disparity exists, and protects employees who share information about wages.
3. Co-sponsored and Voted for the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act: Defines that an unlawful employment practice occurs when a discriminatory decision is adopted, when someone becomes subject to that practice, or when an individual is affected by application of that discrimination.
4.Co-sponsored and Voted for the Fair Minimum Wage Act: Pay raise to up to 13 million of America’s lowest-paid workers.
Worker Rights
1. Co-sponsored the Employee Free Choice Act: Penalizes employers who intimidate workers, limits time period leading up to a secret ballot election.
2. Co-sponsored the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act: Permits public safety workers to join a union, have it recognized by their employer, and bargain collectively.
3. Co-sponsored and Voted for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act: Protects private sector workers at companies with 15 or more employees as well as state, local, and federal government workers from discrimination based on sexual orientation.
4. Co-sponsored the Re-Empowerment of Skilled and Professional Employees and Construction and Tradesworkers Act: Prevents inaccurate labeling of employees as supervisors, who are then not permitted to bargain collectively.
5. Co-sponsored and Voted for the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act: Protects the privacy of personal genetic information by prohibiting group health plans and insurers from collecting or requesting genetic information.
Worker Safety and Health
Co-sponsored the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act of 2009: Provide that 4 of the 12 weeks of parental leave for a Federal employee shall be paid leave.
Co-sponsored the Nurse Staffing Standards for Patient Safety and Quality Care Act: Requires hospitals to set limits on how many patients a direct care registered nurse can be responsible for.
Co-sponsored the Safe Nursing and Patient Care Act of 2007: Would have prohibited health care facilities that receive Medicare funding from requiring a Registered Nurse (RN) or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) to work beyond an agreed to, predetermined, regularly scheduled shift.
Cosponsored the Protecting America’s Workers Act: Expands and strengthens workplace safety law to cover more workers, increase penalties for negligence, strengthen protections, enhance public accountability, and clarify employer’s duty to provide safety equipment.
Cosponsored and Voted for combustible dust standard to prevent workplace explosions and fires (HR 5522).
Voted to minimize exposure to dangerous chemicals in popcorn and flavorings plants (HR 2693).
Competitive Workforce
Co-sponsored the Investment in America Act: Would have supported research by extending the research
credit and strengthening the alternative simplified credit for qualified research expenses by increasing the rate from 12 to 20%; made permanent the tax credit for increasing research activities; and repeals the alternative incremental tax credit for research expenses.
Supported and Voted for additional legislation to:
Authorize $43.3 billion in science funding in the America COMPETES Act.
Create technology innovation program to fund small high-tech firms and stimulate investment in innovative technologies by small manufacturers through Technology Innovation Act. Establish public private partnerships between higher education institutions and businesses to educate and train mathematicians, scientists and engineers. (H.R. 2272)
SUMMARY OF FUTURE INITIATIVES
Looking forward, Joe believes that there is a great deal of work to be done to support America’s workers:
1. Immediate Relief for Working Families
Extend middle class tax cuts: child tax credit, marriage penalty relief, and reduction
in income tax rates for taxpayers with incomes below $250,000;
Extend unemployment insurance benefits and suspension of taxes on these benefits until we emerge from the current economic crisis;
Extend COBRA coverage for displaced workers;
Provide penalty-free hardship withdrawals from IRAs and 401(k)s in 2008 and 2009;
Delay required withdrawals from 401(k)s and IRAs;
Foreclosure Prevention and Relief: Address mortgages that are presently underwater by
modifying the existing mortgage into two pieces: an FHA loan for 97.5% of the current value, and a note that represents the balance from the original loan amount and the new FHA loan. For each year that the homeowners remains current, the loan should be forgiven by one fifth; provides $1,000 incentive to servicers; and $0.05/dollar on the value of second mortgage to second lien holders.
2. Protect Worker’s Rights
Ensure passage of legislation that makes necessary changes to the country’s labor laws. Joe believes it is unacceptable that 32% of employees are fired for trying to unionize and 50% of businesses threaten to close if unionized.
3. Ensure Fair Wages
Joe voted for the first minimum wage increase in a decade. However, he believes that additional minimum
wage increases are needed to raise ensure the opportunity for a better future. American CEOs made 411 times more than average workers in 2005.
Support expansion and extension of middle class tax cuts (child tax credit, marriage penalty, tax break below $250K).
4. Competitive Workforce
Expand Job Readiness Programs: Job Corps, Workforce Investment Act Youth Activities, Youth Build, and Youth Conservation Corps
Improve College Affordability and Accessibility by increasing the maximum Pell Grant,
Stafford Loan, reducing unnecessary costs by creating a direct lending program, making textbook costs more manageable, and simplifying the federal student aid application process.
Support Vocational Education by ensuring that post-secondary cost relief and accessibility efforts include vocational programs.
Provide access and assistance to increase college attendance and completion by working adults who attend school part-time.
Expand incentives to students who are willing to train and serve in critical areas of national need (i.e., loan relief for nurses and physical therapists)
3. Retirement Security:
Allow automatic enrollment in company retirement plans;
Provide required minimum distribution relief for seniors
Temporarily eliminate penalties for emergency retirement plan withdrawals.
