Boosting Incomes for Pennsylvania Families

The middle-class is the engine of the American economy.  But over the last several decades, incomes have stagnated for middle-class Americans.  This puts both the middle class and the American economy at risk.  Addressing income growth and helping American families achieve economic security, is one of Senator Casey’s top priorities.  He has a long record of protecting and expanding the rights of workers, spurring job growth through investments in infrastructure and in small businesses to create good-paying jobs, leveling the playing field for American workers and expanding educational opportunities for students and workers.

• Senator Casey is a cosponsor of the Raise the Wage Act to increase the minimum wage to $12 an hour by 2020 and then index the minimum wage to median wages.  The bill would also phase out the tipped minimum wage which has not increased in over 20 years. Senator Casey previously voted to increase the minimum wage to $10.10 and prior to that, Senator Casey cosponsored and voted for the 2007 effort that increased the minimum wage from $5.15 to the current $7.25. 
• To restore overtime protections for middle class workers, Senator Casey previously cosponsored the Restoring Overtime Pay for Working Americans Act in June, 2014.  In April, 2014, Senator Casey joined his colleagues in sending a letter to the President calling for a strong proposal to strengthen overtime protections for American workers.  On June 29, 2015, President Obama directed the Department of Labor (DOL) to update the rule that determines which workers are eligible for overtime pay.   Senator Casey joined his colleagues in February, 2016 in a letter calling on DOL to finalize the rule and send it to OMB.  In May, 2016 the final overtime rule was announced that increases the overtime threshold from $23,660 to $47,476.
• Senator Casey is a cosponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would increase penalties for employers who pay different wages to men and women for equal work.  Senator Casey also voted in favor of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, which closed a loophole to ensure that victims of pay discrimination would have legal recourse.
• Senator Casey understands that the American workforce is the most skilled, productive and dedicated workforce in the world.  However, bad trade deals, currency manipulation and the lack of labor and environmental standards in other countries put the American worker at a disadvantage.  Senator Casey has worked to ensure that the playing field is leveled for our workers and has opposed trade deals that depress wages for American workers. 
• Our infrastructure has historically been one of our country’s greatest strengths and has allowed America to be a global leader in imports and exports. Investments in infrastructure have also traditionally created good paying jobs in construction and utilization of new infrastructure.  Our infrastructure is what makes domestic businesses and workers competitive over international companies. However, without a renewed dedication to making smart investments in our nation’s infrastructure, American businesses risk losing their edge and we put future job and economic growth at risk.
• Senator Casey is working to help small businesses thrive and create good-paying jobs.  In late 2015, Senator Casey secured passage of legislation to allow small businesses to immediately expense up to $500,000 of investments, giving small businesses the certainty they need to invest, grow and create jobs. Absent action the expensing limit would have reverted to $25,000.
• Senator Casey cosponsored the Working Families Tax Relief Act, which would help low-income individuals and families with children. Parts of these bills were passed in the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act in December, 2015, including permanent improvements the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit.
• As a member of the Senate Finance Committee’s Business Income Tax Working Group Senator Casey worked to develop an outline of core principles and objectives for tax reform, including supporting American jobs, helping to reduce our national debt and providing an adequate revenue base for investing in priorities such as infrastructure and retirement security.
• Congress must continue to focus on job creation and giving workers the skills they need to be successful. That is why Senator Casey supported the reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, which will help to build a skilled workforce for today and for the future.  He has also supported robust funding for federal workforce development programs and is working in a bipartisan manner with Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY) to reauthorize and improve workforce training for high school and community college students through the Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. 
• Senator Casey has stood up to protect the right to organize and bargain collectively and has defended essential workplace protections.  Senator Casey supported the modernized and streamlined election rules finalized in December, 2014 by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) that will help workers across the country exercise their right to organize.  The rule, which he supported in an April, 2014 letter to the NLRB, will update election rules and remove unnecessary obstacles and roadblocks that will benefit employees and employers.  The strength of our country’s middle class and the ability of workers to freely organize and bargain for wages is directly linked. This balanced rule will strengthen the economy and give middle class families in Pennsylvania and across the country more security
• Senator Casey continued to work to highlight the problem of payroll fraud following his November, 2013 subcommittee hearing and the introduction of his legislation to protect workers from being misclassified as independent contractors.  The Payroll Fraud Protection Act would prevent companies from cheating their employees out of fair compensation by deliberately misclassifying them, thereby ensuring access to safeguards like fair labor standards, health and safety protections, and unemployment and workers’ compensation benefits.  It also prohibits employers from using misclassification to avoid paying their fair share of taxes. 
• The Flexibility for Working Families Act, introduced by Senator Casey, would guarantee employees the right to request flexible work arrangements in terms of hours, schedules or work location while also maintaining the protections of the 40-hour workweek. The bill provides employers with flexibility by encouraging them to review these requests, propose changes, and even deny them if they are not considered in the best interest of their business.
• Senator Casey is a cosponsor of Senator Murray’s Healthy Families Act which would allow workers to earn paid sick days (1 hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked), up to 7 days a year.