No one will argue that Sen. Art Haywood’s proposal to create a Small Necessities Leave program in Pennsylvania wouldn’t help people who often need to be in two places at one time.

But the devil is always in the details – and after two years of waiting, no one has seen those details. While the Democratic Senate Policy Committee decided recently to host a hearing on the idea, Haywood’s bill isn’t exactly new. The co-sponsorship memorandum was written more than a year ago in December 2024 with legislation yet to be drafted.

The policy committee hearing indicates legislation may be coming soon. And one thing people should be looking for is how Haywood tries to help those who both Republicans and Democrats should agree need a hand.

In our view Haywood’s proposal should be as narrowly tailored as possible. Small necessities leave shouldn’t, in our opinion, grow into a Paid Family Leave program like New York’s or California’s where everyone pays into a system used by the few. Jobs should be protected, but the benefit shouldn’t hamstring employers, either.

It’s also worth noting that employers should be amenable to working with employees when the types of things that would be covered by the Small Necessities Leave program come up. It’s hard to find qualified employees for many types of work. Just as many businesses have blown past the state’s $7.25 minimum wage in their efforts to attract and then keep good employees, we have a feeling that employers who are able are already working with their employees when family needs come up during the work day. Not all fields lend themselves to having employees come and go, but it’s likely that many employers are already doing what Haywood intends.

Haywood and the Democratic Senate Policy Committee put on a good show at their recent hearing in an effort to marshal public support. We’ll see if that support remains after the details of the program are released.