Employment Law Attorney in Trevose

Pennsylvania is an at-will employment state, meaning employers and employees can terminate employment for any reason that doesn’t cross legal boundaries. This does not, however, mean that employees aren’t given critical legal protection. If you believe your rights as an employee may have been violated, our experienced employment attorneys in Trevose, PA, can help.

Violations of Public Policy

There are specific instances when the termination of employment is a clear violation of public policy, including when any one of the following is the precipitating event:

• Refusal to be polygraphed or to submit to an unnecessary drug test
• Jury service
• Refusal to provide false information to federal investigators or to engage in unethical or unlawful conduct
• The filing of a workers’ compensation claim

In Pennsylvania, employees are also protected from discrimination based on membership in the National Guard and similar reserve corps. This means you can’t be fired or penalized for complying with an order for active duty at the state or federal level.

Anti-Discrimination

An essential emphasis of employment law in Pennsylvania and the nation at large is protection from discrimination concerning all the following characteristics:

• Race, which extends to ancestry – including Hispanic ancestry – ethnic characteristics, national origin, interracial marriage, and traits associated with race such as skin color
• Sex, which includes the sex assigned at birth, sexual orientation, sex characteristics, pregnancy and related concerns, and gender – including gender identity and gender expression
• Age
• Religion
• Disability, including the use of guide or support animals

Any employer in the state with four or more employees must observe each of these protections in compliance with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA)

Wage Laws in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania – like all other states – also has minimum wage laws in place, which include each of the following:

• Employees must earn at least $7.25 an hour, the minimum wage set by the federal government.
• Workers who receive tips must earn at least $2.83 an hour, and their tips must bring their hourly earnings up to at least $7.25 an hour.
• Those who put in more than 40 hours per week must be paid overtime, equal to 1.5 times their regular hourly rate.

An employee must reach the salary threshold, which, as of January 1, 2025, is $58,656 annually, to be exempt from overtime pay.

Finally, employers are required to pay their employees according to a timely schedule. This means adhering to established paydays determined in advance, and overtime pay must be included on the paycheck following the pay period in which the overtime hours were accumulated.

Time to Consult an Experienced Employment Law Attorney

Our employment law attorneys in Trevose, PA, are well prepared to unleash the full force of our skilled protection of your rights as an employee, and we welcome the opportunity to help. Learn more by contacting us online or calling us today.