Pennsylvania labor laws carry more weight compared to federal law when it comes to protecting employees. It’s broader and includes healthcare continuation coverage, antidiscrimination protection, and more. Here’s a quick and easy guide to Pennsylvania labor laws.
Employers must adhere to both federal and PA employment state laws. These regulations help organizations run smoothly. Furthermore, it ensures that various employment situations are addressed before they affect the entire business operation. The rules also protect employers’ rights to proper wages, safety, and other areas of their employment.
PA Leave Requirements
Pennsylvania labor laws have guidelines on the required and non-required types of leaves.
Required Leaves
There are several types of required leaves. This includes the following:
- Jury Duty
- Bereavement leave
- Sick leave
- Parental leave
Jury Duty Leave
The PA employment laws do not require employers to pay workers for jury duty leaves. However, the law states that employers cannot threaten, fire, or take off the benefits of a worker summoned to serve as part of a jury.
Bereavement Leave & Parental Leave
Pennsylvania labor laws don’t require employers to pay their workers for bereavement leave. However, the Federal Family Medical Leave Act requires them to give employees three days of paid bereavement leave after the death of their immediate family member.
There are no regulations on parental leave, but the federal Family Medical Leave Act requires employers with more than 50 employees to provide workers with up to 12 weeks (about three months) of unpaid leave for family reasons.
Sick Leave
State employees can take sick leave, but it is only limited to up to five days per calendar year.
Pennsylvania Human Relations Act
The PA Human Relation Act includes discrimination in employment, education, public accommodations, housing, etc. Generally, PA Human Relations Act prohibits discrimination based on sex, national origin, age, religion, ancestry, disability, and others. Employees have the right to bring the harassment to the attention of superiors or government agencies.
PA Termination Laws
As per Pennsylvania labor laws, employers can let go of workers without contracts at any given time due to legal grounds. Termination laws protect employees against unfair and unreasonable termination. Therefore, employers need reasonable business reasons for firing employees. Without that, termination laws state that workers can sue for compensation.
The employers then pay the final paycheck on or before the usual payday. This is true for workers who were fired or those who quit.
Other PA Employment Laws
There are more labor laws relevant for employers and employees today. Examples of these are Whistleblower protection laws, record-keeping laws, and background check laws.
Whistleblower Protection
The law protects employees reporting violations of federal regulations. Employers cannot fire, discharge, or threaten them in any way or form.
Record-keeping Laws
Employers must keep correct employee records, including their names and address, social security numbers, date of hiring/rehiring/termination, absences, wages, and other necessary information. The data is kept for at least seven years.
Background Check Laws
Employers must follow the regulations when doing background checks. Furthermore, they need to supply a written notice before the check.
Employment laws are necessary. This guide is subject to changes. Regardless, it’s highly advisable to seek the help of legal counsel when facing employment issues.