Philadelphia Employment Law: Worker Rights & Pennsylvania Labor Protections (2026)

Pennsylvania Employment Law Topics

• Wrongful Termination
• Workplace Discrimination
• Workplace Retaliation
• Wages and Hours
• Leave Laws
• Employment Contracts

Philadelphia workers benefit from a unique combination of city, state, and federal employment protections. As Pennsylvania's largest city and a major healthcare, education, and financial hub, Philadelphia has enacted local ordinances that provide stronger worker protections than Pennsylvania state law in several areas. From Center City to North Philadelphia, from University City to South Philadelphia, workers in Philadelphia enjoy paid sick leave, fair workweek protections, and comprehensive anti-discrimination laws.

Quick Facts: Philadelphia Employment Law

What Makes Philadelphia Different

Philadelphia Paid Sick Leave (Promoting Healthy Families and Workplaces)

Philadelphia requires employers to provide paid sick leave:

All employers (10+ employees):

• 1 hour per 40 hours worked
• Up to 40 hours per year
• Paid sick time

Small employers (fewer than 10 employees):

• 1 hour per 40 hours worked
• Up to 40 hours per year
• Unpaid sick time (still protected leave)

Covered uses:

• Employee's own illness, injury, or medical care
• Care for sick family member
• Public health emergency
• Domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking

Protections:

• Cannot retaliate against employees for using sick time
• Cannot require documentation for first 3 consecutive days
• Unused time carries over (employer can cap use at 40 hours/year)

Philadelphia Fair Workweek Law

Philadelphia enacted fair scheduling for large retail, hospitality, and food service employers:

Covered employers:

• Retail, hospitality, food service with 250+ employees worldwide AND 30+ locations worldwide

Key requirements:

• Good faith estimate: Written work schedule estimate at hiring
• Advance notice: 14 days' notice of work schedule
• Predictability pay: Extra pay for schedule changes with less than 14 days' notice
• Right to rest: 9 hours between shifts (or premium pay)
• Input on schedule: Employees can request schedule preferences
• Access to hours: Existing employees offered additional hours before new hires

Predictability pay amounts:

• Changes with less than 14 days' notice: 1 hour of pay
• Changes with less than 24 hours' notice: Additional premiums

Philadelphia Fair Practices Ordinance

Philadelphia's local anti-discrimination law provides broad protections:

Protected characteristics:

• Race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry
• Sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding)
• Sexual orientation
• Gender identity
• Age (40+)
• Disability
• Marital status
• Familial status
• Domestic/sexual violence victim status
• GED vs. high school diploma (cannot prefer high school diploma)
• Source of income
• HIV/AIDS status

Employers covered:

• All employers (broader than state or federal)

Additional Philadelphia protections:

• Ban the box: Cannot ask about criminal history on initial application (employers with 10+ employees)
• Salary history ban: Cannot ask about prior salary
• Reasonable accommodations: Pregnancy, disability, domestic violence

Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations (PCHR)

Philadelphia has its own human relations commission:

Filing deadline:

• 300 days from discriminatory act

What PCHR handles:

• All discrimination under Philadelphia Fair Practices Ordinance
• Broader protections than federal or state law
• No employer size minimum

Pennsylvania State Protections

Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA)

State-level anti-discrimination law:

Protected characteristics:

• Race, color, religious creed, ancestry, age (40+)
• Sex (including pregnancy)
• National origin
• Non-job related handicap or disability
• GED vs. high school diploma

Employers covered:

• 4 or more employees

Filing deadline:

• 180 days from discriminatory act (shorter than PCHR or EEOC)

Note: PHRA does not explicitly cover sexual orientation or gender identity (unlike Philadelphia's ordinance).

Pennsylvania Minimum Wage

Pennsylvania follows federal minimum wage:

• Minimum wage: $7.25/hour
• Tipped employees: $2.83/hour
• No scheduled increases

Philadelphia cannot enact higher local minimum wage due to state preemption.

Pennsylvania Overtime

Pennsylvania follows federal FLSA overtime rules:

• Time-and-a-half after 40 hours/week
• No daily overtime

Filing Complaints in Philadelphia

Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations (PCHR)

Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations:

• Address: Curtis Center, 601 Walnut Street, Suite 300 South, Philadelphia, PA 19106
• Phone: 215-686-4670
• Website: phila.gov{rel="nofollow"}
• Online filing: Available through website

Filing deadline: 300 days

What they handle:

• Philadelphia Fair Practices Ordinance violations
• Discrimination (all protected categories)
• Fair Chance (ban the box) violations
• Paid sick leave violations
• Fair Workweek violations

Advantage: Broadest protections, covers all employers

Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC)

Philadelphia Regional Office:

• Address: 110 North 8th Street, Suite 501, Philadelphia, PA 19107
• Phone: 215-560-2496
• Website: phrc.pa.gov{rel="nofollow"}

Filing deadline: 180 days (shorter than PCHR)

What they handle:

• PHRA violations
• State-level discrimination claims

US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) - Philadelphia

Philadelphia District Office:

• Address: 801 Market Street, Suite 1000, Philadelphia, PA 19107
• Phone: 1-800-669-4000 (toll-free)
• Local: 215-440-2600
• Website: eeoc.gov{rel="nofollow"}

Filing deadline: 300 days

What they handle:

• Title VII, ADA, ADEA violations
• Federal discrimination claims

Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry

For wage violations:

Bureau of Labor Law Compliance:

• Phone: 1-800-932-0665
• Website: dli.pa.gov{rel="nofollow"}

What they handle:

• Minimum wage violations
• Overtime violations
• Final paycheck issues
• Child labor violations

OSHA - Philadelphia Area Office

Philadelphia Area Office:

• Address: 1835 Market Street, Suite 2100, Philadelphia, PA 19103
• Phone: 215-861-4900
• Website: osha.gov{rel="nofollow"}

Legal Aid and Worker Resources in Philadelphia

Community Legal Services of Philadelphia

Free legal services:

• Phone: 215-981-3700
• Website: clsphila.org{rel="nofollow"}
• Services: Employment discrimination, wage theft, workplace rights
• Income limits apply

Philadelphia Legal Assistance

Free legal services:

• Phone: 215-981-3800
• Website: philalegal.org{rel="nofollow"}
• Services: Employment matters for low-income residents

Philadelphia Bar Association Lawyer Referral

• Phone: 215-238-6333
• Website: philadelphiabar.org{rel="nofollow"}

PhilaPOSH (Philadelphia Project on Occupational Safety and Health)

Worker health and safety advocacy:

• Phone: 215-568-5188
• Website: philaposh.org{rel="nofollow"}
• Focus: Workplace safety, workers' compensation

Make the Road Pennsylvania

Worker advocacy organization:

• Website: maketheroadpa.org{rel="nofollow"}
• Focus: Immigrant worker rights, wage theft

Major Industries in Philadelphia

Healthcare and Life Sciences

Philadelphia is a major healthcare hub:

• Penn Medicine (University of Pennsylvania Health System)
• Jefferson Health
• Temple University Health System
• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)
• Major pharmaceutical companies

Common employment issues:

• Overtime violations for nurses and healthcare workers
• Meal and rest break issues
• Retaliation for patient safety concerns
• Discrimination claims
• Non-compete enforcement (medical professionals)

Higher Education

Major universities:

• University of Pennsylvania
• Temple University
• Drexel University
• Thomas Jefferson University
• Numerous colleges and community colleges

Common employment issues:

• Tenure disputes
• Discrimination in hiring and promotion
• Graduate student worker rights
• Non-compete agreements for researchers

Financial Services

Major financial employers:

• Vanguard (nearby in Malvern)
• Comcast Corporation (headquarters)
• Various banks and insurance companies

Common employment issues:

• Discrimination in hiring and promotion
• Non-compete enforcement
• Commission disputes
• Whistleblower retaliation

Professional Services

Major professional services:

• Law firms
• Accounting firms
• Consulting firms

Common employment issues:

• Partnership disputes
• Discrimination in promotion
• Non-compete agreements
• Work-life balance issues

Retail and Hospitality

Large retail and hospitality sector:

• Center City retail
• Restaurant industry
• Hotels and tourism

Common employment issues:

• Fair Workweek violations
• Paid sick leave violations
• Tip violations
• Minimum wage violations

Common Employment Issues in Philadelphia

Paid Sick Leave Violations

Common issues:

• Not providing sick leave accrual
• Retaliation for using sick leave
• Requiring documentation for short absences
• Not maintaining records

Where to file:

• PCHR (Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations)

Fair Workweek Violations

Common issues:

• No advance schedule notice
• No predictability pay for changes
• Clopening shifts without consent or pay
• Not offering hours to existing employees first

Where to file:

• PCHR

Discrimination

Philadelphia provides broad protections:

• All employers covered (PCHR)
• Sexual orientation and gender identity explicitly protected
• Pregnancy accommodations required

Where to file:

• PCHR (300 days, broadest protections)
• PHRC (180 days)
• EEOC (300 days)

Wage and Hour Violations

Common issues:

• Overtime violations
• Tip violations
• Off-the-clock work
• Final paycheck delays

Where to file:

• Pennsylvania Department of Labor
• US Department of Labor
• Private attorney

Federal Protections Apply

Philadelphia workers receive all federal protections plus city enhancements:

• FLSA: Minimum wage, overtime
• Title VII: Discrimination (Philadelphia law is broader)
• ADA: Disability discrimination
• ADEA: Age discrimination
• FMLA: 12 weeks unpaid leave
• OSHA: Workplace safety

Related Pennsylvania Resources

• Pennsylvania Employment Law Hub
• Pittsburgh Employment Law
• Wrongful Termination in Pennsylvania
• Pennsylvania Workplace Discrimination

Legal Disclaimer

This guide provides general information about employment law in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is not legal advice. Philadelphia has unique local protections that exceed state and federal law in many areas. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed Pennsylvania employment attorney.

Official Resources:

• Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations: phila.gov/humanrelations{rel="nofollow"} | 215-686-4670
• Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission: phrc.pa.gov{rel="nofollow"} | 215-560-2496
• EEOC Philadelphia: eeoc.gov{rel="nofollow"} | 1-800-669-4000
• Pennsylvania Department of Labor: dli.pa.gov{rel="nofollow"} | 1-800-932-0665
• OSHA: osha.gov{rel="nofollow"} | 1-800-321-OSHA