This section of PALawHelp.org has information and resources about Employee Rights in Pennsylvania.
Click on a resource category listed below to see information related to that category.
Employment Discrimination
Information from Neighborhood Legal Services Association on discrimination in the workplace.
Getting Fired and Quitting
Information from Neighborhood Legal Services Association about legal issues related to being fired from your job and about quitting your job.
How to Assert Your Rights in the Workplace
Information from Neighborhood Legal Services Association on how to assert your rights in the workplace.
Know Your Employment Rights!
Information from Community Legal Services of Philadelphia on employment rights including wages, unemployment compensation, family and medical leave, discrimination, workplace injuries, and unions. (January 2014)
Know Your Employment Rights
Fact sheet from MidPenn Legal Services outlining the basic rights all employees have at their workplace. [PDF] (February 2014)
Know Your Rights at Work
This booklet from the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General outlines the rights a worker has in the workplace and how to get help if you are experiencing an unlawful work-related issue.
Know Your Rights: Child Labor (Video)
The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has developed the “Know Your Rights” video series in English and Spanish to provide workers with useful basic information in different scenarios that workers encounter in the workplace. This video explains how wage laws apply to young workers. (2017)
Pregnancy Discrimination - Understanding Your Workplace Rights Related to Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Pregnant people have rights in the workplace. Laws prohibit workplace discrimination on the basis of pregnancy and require employers to provide accommodations to allow workers to work while pregnant. Breastfeeding workers also have rights to express breastmilk in the workplace so that they can maintain their milk supply and continue to nurse their babies after returning to work. The Women's Law Project provides information their rights for pregnant workers and workers who have recently had a baby.
Reporting Workplace Sexual Harassment in Pennsylvania
Experiencing workplace sexual harassment — whether it is verbal or physical — is never your fault. You have options. You do not have to go through this alone. This guide brings together information and resources on how to identify and report workplace harassment.
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Information from Neighborhood Legal Services on sexual harassment in on the job.
Trans Youth Handbook
This Handbook was created to help you learn about your legal rights in different areas of your life. The information in this Handbook should not be considered legal advice. This Handbook provides legal information but does not attempt to apply that information to any specific situation. This guide was up-to-date as of its release in June 2020. However, because laws affecting trans people are constantly changing, the information contained in this Handbook may not reflect the current legal situation where you live. You can click on the links below to access the different sections online. You can also access the entire handbook by clicking here You can also review Resources and Definitions, which lists additional helpful resources and definitions for the terms used in this Handbook. If you have a question about your specific legal situation, you should contact NCLR’s legal helpline by phone at (415) 392-6257 or (800) 528-6257. You can also contact the helpline by e-mail at info@nclrights.org.
Wages and Hours
Information from Neighborhood Legal Services Association on wage and hour issues including how to file a complaint.
Workers with Disabilities
Information from Neighborhood Legal Services Association about the protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act for workers with disabilities
You Have a Record . . . What Are Your Rights?
This resource from MyCleanSlate.com provides information on the rights of individuals who have criminal records. Included are employment rights; housing rights; and your right to a higher education.
Downloadable Forms from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry
Links to downloadable forms from the PA Department of Labor and Industry.
Pennsylvania Commonwealth Workforce Development System
The Commonwealth Workforce Development System (CWDS) is an Internet-based system of services for use by customers and potential customers of the PA CareerLink® offices. CWDS provides online access to job openings; information about employers; services and training opportunities for job seekers; and labor market information. All of this is available by enrolling on-line with CWDS.
Employment At Will
Information from Community Legal Services of Philadelphia about your right to have and keep a job.
Employment Discrimination
Information from Neighborhood Legal Services Association on discrimination in the workplace.
Getting Fired and Quitting
Information from Neighborhood Legal Services Association about legal issues related to being fired from your job and about quitting your job.
How to Assert Your Rights in the Workplace
Information from Neighborhood Legal Services Association on how to assert your rights in the workplace.
Know Your Employment Rights!
Information from Community Legal Services of Philadelphia on employment rights including wages, unemployment compensation, family and medical leave, discrimination, workplace injuries, and unions. (January 2014)
Know Your Employment Rights
Fact sheet from MidPenn Legal Services outlining the basic rights all employees have at their workplace. [PDF] (February 2014)
Legal Help for LGBTQ+ Individuals
Community Legal Services (CLS) provides free legal assistance in civil matters for low-income residents of Philadelphia. We are strong advocates for our clients, including LGBTQ+ individuals, when they face the threat of losing their homes, incomes, health care, and even their families. We work on many legal issues including eviction, mortgage foreclosure, criminal record expungements, Medicaid, Food Stamps, and other public benefits, SSI, employment, utilities, and housing problems for people who have experienced domestic violence or sexual assault.
Need Health Insurance and Not Working in Your Prior Job? Act Now!
If you are not working because you are on leave, on layoff, or have lost your job, you should look at the following options for health care for yourself and your family. You should secure coverage within 60 DAYS of when you lose coverage through your employer, or you will lose the opportunity to get affordable benefits through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace until the end of the year.
PhillyWorkersRights.org
All Philadelphia workers, including immigrants and low-wage workers, have legal rights at work. Community Legal Services of Philadelphia launched PhillyWorkersRights.org, a website providing workers with information about their rights, how to assert them, and how to get help if they need it.
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Information from Neighborhood Legal Services on sexual harassment in on the job.
Wages and Hours
Information from Neighborhood Legal Services Association on wage and hour issues including how to file a complaint.
Workers with Disabilities
Information from Neighborhood Legal Services Association about the protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act for workers with disabilities
You Have a Record . . . What Are Your Rights?
This resource from MyCleanSlate.com provides information on the rights of individuals who have criminal records. Included are employment rights; housing rights; and your right to a higher education.
Collaborative Law
Consumer legal information brochure from the Pennsylvania Bar Association on Collaborative Law, a dispute resolution process that is an alternative to litigation. Rev. 1/13 [PDF]
Firing
Information from the Erie County Bar Association on an employee's rights upon being fired from a job. (February 2019)
Harassment
Information from the Erie County Bar Association on the offense of Harassment.
Sexual Harassment
Information from the Erie County Bar Association on sexual harassment in the workplace.
Workers' Compensation
Information on Workers' Compensation benefits from the Erie County Bar Association. (February 2019)
Workers' Compensation
Consumer information pamphlet from the Pennsylvania Bar Association. [PDF] (November 2012)
Know Your Rights: Pregnant and Breastfeeding Workers in Pennsylvania
Information from the Women's Law Project about the rights of workers who are pregnant, have given birth and are producing breast milk. (March 2018)
Pregnancy Discrimination - Understanding Your Workplace Rights Related to Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Pregnant people have rights in the workplace. Laws prohibit workplace discrimination on the basis of pregnancy and require employers to provide accommodations to allow workers to work while pregnant. Breastfeeding workers also have rights to express breastmilk in the workplace so that they can maintain their milk supply and continue to nurse their babies after returning to work. The Women's Law Project provides information their rights for pregnant workers and workers who have recently had a baby.
A Guide for People with Disabilities Seeking Employment
Find answers to questions about employment rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act in this A Guide for People with Disabilities Seeking Employment from the U.S. Department of Justice. Webpage and PDF Version. (October 2000)
Background Checks: What Job Applicants and Employees Should Know
Some employers look into your background before deciding whether to hire you, or before deciding whether you can keep your job. When they do, you have legal rights. This publication from the Federal Trade Commission explains the laws that protect you, and how to contact the FTC and EEOC if you think an employer has broken the law. [PDF]
Child Labor Act Protections For Young Workers
Pennsylvania's Child Labor Act, enforced by L&I's Bureau of Labor Law Compliance, protects the health, safety, and welfare of minors employed in the commonwealth by limiting employment in certain establishments, restricting the hours of work, regulating work conditions, and requiring work permits for children hired to fill a position.
Continuation of Health Coverage - COBRA
Information from the United States Department of Labor about the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), a federal program that provides the right to continued health care coverage for people who lose their benefits under certain circumstances.
Downloadable Forms from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry
Links to downloadable forms from the PA Department of Labor and Industry.
EEOC Publications
Listing of publications from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on a variety of subjects relating to equal employment opportunity and employment discrimination.
Employee Retirement Income Security Act - ERISA
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) is a federal law that sets minimum standards for most voluntarily established retirement and health plans in private industry to provide protection for individuals in these plans.
Employer Background Checks and Your Rights
If you’re applying for a job or a promotion, an employer might run a background check. Federal law and some state laws give you rights when this happens. Employers must get your written permission before running a background check from a background reporting company. You have the right to say no, but if you do, you may not get the job.
Employment Laws: Disability & Discrimination
Information from the U.S. Department of Labor about the five important federal laws that protect individuals with disabilities from discrimination in employment and the job application process.
Federal Laws Prohibiting Job Discrimination - Questions And Answers
Information from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on the federal laws covering job discrimination and what discriminatory practices are prohibited by these laws.
General Wage & Hour Questions
Frequently asked questions from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry on wage & hour requirements in Pennsylvania.
If You Are A Farm Worker
Booklet from Social Security which provides farm workers with information about how Social Security can help you and your family, the importance of your Social Security number, how your boss reports your earnings, and how to make sure your earnings are reported correctly. (June 2021)
Job Loss - Important Information Workers Need To Know To Protect Their Health Coverage and Retirement Benefits
This fact sheet focuses on job loss, its effect on workers’ health benefits and retirement benefits, and how these laws impact workers’ rights. When facing job loss or a reduction in hours, you need to know your options ahead of time to prevent loss of health coverage. There may be several options available to individuals who are losing their health coverage when they lose their jobs. (November 2016)
Know Your Rights at Work
This booklet from the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General outlines the rights a worker has in the workplace and how to get help if you are experiencing an unlawful work-related issue.
Know Your Rights: Child Labor (Video)
The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has developed the “Know Your Rights” video series in English and Spanish to provide workers with useful basic information in different scenarios that workers encounter in the workplace. This video explains how wage laws apply to young workers. (2017)
Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act
Information on the Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry including links to the full text of the law.
Portability of Health Coverage (HIPAA)
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) provides rights and protections for participants and beneficiaries in group health plans. HIPAA includes protections for coverage under group health plans that prohibit discrimination against employees and dependents based on their health status; and allow a special opportunity to enroll in a new plan to individuals in certain circumstances.
Reporting Workplace Sexual Harassment in Pennsylvania
Experiencing workplace sexual harassment — whether it is verbal or physical — is never your fault. You have options. You do not have to go through this alone. This guide brings together information and resources on how to identify and report workplace harassment.
Retirement Plans-Benefits & Savings
Information from the United States Department of Labor regarding retirement plans offered by your employer.
Termination
If you've lost your job, you have certain rights, such as the right to continue your health care coverage and, in some cases, the right to unemployment compensation.
Tools That Teach: What is Human Trafficking? (Video)
This video from the Department of Homeland Security's Blue Campaign helps answer the question "What is Human Trafficking? " (2016)
Youth Rules!
This website from the United States Department of Labor provides information on the laws relating to workers under the age of 18.
National Employment Law Project
Website of the National Employment Law Project. The Project works to promote policies and programs that create good jobs, strengthen upward mobility, enforce hard-won worker rights, and help unemployed workers regain their economic footing through improved benefits and services.
Trans Youth Handbook
This Handbook was created to help you learn about your legal rights in different areas of your life. The information in this Handbook should not be considered legal advice. This Handbook provides legal information but does not attempt to apply that information to any specific situation. This guide was up-to-date as of its release in June 2020. However, because laws affecting trans people are constantly changing, the information contained in this Handbook may not reflect the current legal situation where you live. You can click on the links below to access the different sections online. You can also access the entire handbook by clicking here You can also review Resources and Definitions, which lists additional helpful resources and definitions for the terms used in this Handbook. If you have a question about your specific legal situation, you should contact NCLR’s legal helpline by phone at (415) 392-6257 or (800) 528-6257. You can also contact the helpline by e-mail at info@nclrights.org.