If you are working in Pennsylvania, there are laws that protect you as an employee. Across the United States, the employment laws are similar although there are some subtle differences among the states. In the state of Pennsylvania, the minimum wage is $7.25/hour. When it comes to overtime, the law is that most employees in the state have to receive overtime pay if they work any hours over a consecutive 40 hours in any given week.
Overtime pay is 1.5 times the employees regular pay and this applies to most employees. However, there may be some employees who are exempt from overtime because their positions are classified with one or more exemptions. In that case, no matter how many hours they work above 40 will not make a difference as far as how much money they earn.
What are the rules for the employer?
When it comes to the employer’s obligation to pay the employee overtime pay, the number of employees in that business has no effect on the overtime pay that the employer must pay. It is important to note here that although the number of employees is not relevant as far as overtime pay is concerned, it may be relevant as far as minimum wage is concerned.
On the employee’s side, although there is no official obligation for the employee to work overtime if asked by the employer, the employee may experience negative consequences from the employer if they refuse to work overtime when asked. Although refusing is probably not a good idea, the employer is still obligated to pay 1.5 times the regular hourly wage.
Are you entitled to sick leave, vacation and severance pay in Pennsylvania?
Officially, the employer doesn’t have to pay you if you are not working. However, whether the employer pays depends on whether it is the part of the employer’s policy in general (or if your employment contract states the same). If the policy is written that the employer will pay you for sick leave, vacation and severance, they have a responsibility to pay you your regular pay under those circumstances. If there are federal laws that pertain to these, the employer also has an obligation to pay.
Sound legal advice from a Pennsylvania employment lawyer
If you are a Pennsylvania employee and you feel that your employer has done something illegal to you, the sound advice from a Pennsylvania employment lawyer may make a big difference to the outcome of your case. The right lawyer can give you advice about how to proceed and can help you to protect your rights at the same time. The right advice can hopefully help you to get the compensation that you need and that you deserve so that you can look forward to a brighter future.