As workers wait for the full Pennsylvania House to vote on whether to increase the state minimum wage, one economist said the increase would be a step in the right direction, but should happen sooner. This week, a House committee passed House Bill 1500, which would raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour by 2026. Stephen Herzenberg, executive director of the Keystone Research Center, pointed out it would increase the hourly wage more slowly than what has been proposed by Gov. .
Support staff in public schools across the Commonwealth have created a "Bill of Rights" to help them organize for better pay and benefits. Known as Education Support Professionals or paraeducators, they do it all: teach, help students with disabilities, clean classrooms and serve as a teacher s second set of ears and eyes. Michaela Keefe, a paraeducator in Hingham, hopes their Bill of Rights will help convince the local school committee to ensure what she called a living wage for staff. .