Pennsylvania Labor Laws

Pennsylvania Labor Laws: Every Rule With Its 2026 Figure — Best Proven Guide (2026)

By Oleg Kachko · Updated October 8, 2026
✓ Verified October 2026

Pennsylvania labor laws in one place: the minimum wage is $7.25, after 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate, no Pennsylvania law requires a meal break for adult workers; if an employer gives one of 30 minutes or more…, no paid sick leave is required,

and the final paycheck is due not later than the next regular payday on which the wages would otherwise have been due (by certified mail if… if you are fired.

This guide gives the exact pennsylvania labor laws rule with the date we verified it, the statute, and what to do next. Rules verified against the statute on 2026-10-08; confirm the current rule with Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, Bureau of Labor Law Compliance or an attorney before you rely on it.

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Pennsylvania Labor Laws at a Glance

Minimum wage $7.25
Overtime After 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate
Meal break No Pennsylvania law requires a meal break for adult workers; if an employer gives one of 30 minutes or more it may be…
Paid sick leave No state mandate
Final paycheck if fired Not later than the next regular payday on which the wages would otherwise have been due (by certified mail if you ask)
PTO paid out Only if the employer’s policy provides it
Non compete Restricted by statute
Right to work No
At-will Yes

Pennsylvania Labor Laws: Minimum Wage and Overtime

The minimum wage is $7.25. After 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate. No daily overtime in Pennsylvania — only the weekly total counts.

⚠ Pennsylvania labor laws at a glance: minimum wage $7.25; overtime after 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate; not a right-to-work state; at-will.

Pennsylvania Labor Laws: Breaks and Lunch

No Pennsylvania law requires a meal break for adult workers; if an employer gives one of 30 minutes or more it may be unpaid only if you are fully relieved of duty (federal FLSA rule). No Pennsylvania law requires paid rest breaks; under the federal FLSA any short break of 5 to 20 minutes an employer does give must be paid.

Pennsylvania Labor Laws at a Glance

Rules verified against the statute on 2026-10-08; confirm the current rule with Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, Bureau of Labor Law Compliance or an attorney before you rely on it. The statute row is where to check it yourself.

Minimum wage $7.25
Overtime After 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate
Meal break No Pennsylvania law requires a meal break for adult workers; if an employer gives one of 30 minutes or more it may be…
Paid sick leave No state mandate
Final paycheck if fired Not later than the next regular payday on which the wages would otherwise have been due (by certified mail if you ask)
PTO paid out Only if the employer’s policy provides it
Non compete Restricted by statute
Right to work No
At-will Yes

Pennsylvania Labor Laws: Hours Worked, 12-Hour Shifts and Days of Rest

Pennsylvania has no general cap on 12-hour shifts or mandatory overtime for most adult workers. The Prohibition of Excessive Overtime in Health Care Act generally bars covered health care facilities from requiring hourly or nonsupervisory direct-care staff to work past their agreed, regularly scheduled shifts, with narrow exceptions for unforeseeable emergencies; physicians, physician assistants and dentists are not covered. Pennsylvania has no general one-day-rest-in-seven rule for adult workers.

Under the Child Labor Act, minors generally may not work more than a set number of consecutive days, except in newspaper delivery.

Pennsylvania Labor Laws for 16 and 17 Year Olds

Pennsylvania’s Child Labor Act limits the daily hours, weekly hours and times of day that 16- and 17-year-olds may work, and the limits are stricter while school is in session than during breaks. Minors under 18 generally need a work permit and a meal break during longer shifts, they may turn down weekly overtime above a set threshold without retaliation, and high school graduates are exempt from the hour limits.

Pennsylvania Labor Laws: Sick Leave and PTO

No Pennsylvania law requires paid sick leave; the employer’s own policy or a union contract controls, and the federal FMLA gives up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave at employers of 50 or more. Vacation payout follows the employer’s policy or agreement.

Pennsylvania Labor Laws: Final Paycheck

Not later than the next regular payday on which the wages would otherwise have been due (by certified mail if you ask) if the employer ends the job; not later than the next regular payday on which the wages would otherwise have been due — the statute treats a quit the same as a separation if you quit.

Penalty: if wages stay unpaid 30 days past the payday with no good-faith dispute, liquidated damages of 25% of the wages or $500, whichever is greater (260.10), plus mandatory attorney fees (260.9a).

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Pennsylvania Labor Laws: Non Compete, Right to Work and At-Will

Pennsylvania has no general non compete statute; courts enforce a covenant that is ancillary to employment, supported by adequate consideration, reasonably limited in time and territory and necessary to protect a legitimate interest — and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court (Socko v. Mid-Atlantic Systems, 2015) holds a non compete signed by a current employee needs new, real consideration such as a raise, promotion or bonus; continued employment is not enough.

Since January 1, 2025 the Fair Contracting for Health Care Practitioners Act voids most health-care practitioner non competes. No — Pennsylvania is not a right-to-work state: a union contract with a union-security clause may require you to pay dues or an agency fee as a condition of employment (federal law already bars forcing you to formally join).

Pennsylvania is an at-will state: either side may end the job at any time for any lawful reason.

Pennsylvania Labor Laws: Required Posters

Every Pennsylvania employer generally must post the Minimum Wage Law poster, the Abstract of the Equal Pay Law and the Workers’ Compensation insurance notice where employees can see and read them. Employers of minors must also post the Child Labor Act abstract and the hours-of-work schedule for minors, and all of these posters are free from the Department of Labor & Industry.

Other Pennsylvania Labor Laws to Know

Health care workers covered by the Prohibition of Excessive Overtime in Health Care Act may refuse mandatory overtime outside the law’s emergency exceptions without retaliation, and chronic short staffing does not count as an emergency. Workers who believe they were underpaid or forced into overtime can file a complaint with the Bureau of Labor Law Compliance. Confirm current rules with the state agency.

Every rule on this page has its own guide — and the wage-claim agency enforces most of them for free.

Contact Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, Bureau of Labor Law Compliance

Pennsylvania — the bottom line

  • Pennsylvania labor laws start with the minimum wage ($7.25) and overtime after 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate.
  • Under pennsylvania labor laws the final paycheck, breaks and sick leave each have a rule with a date — the links on this page go to each one.
  • Pennsylvania labor laws are enforced mostly by a free wage claim; the attorney question arises only for wrongful termination and non competes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum wage under Pennsylvania labor laws?

$7.25.

When is overtime owed under Pennsylvania labor laws?

After 40 hours in a workweek at 1.5 times the regular rate. No daily overtime in Pennsylvania — only the weekly total counts.

Are breaks required under Pennsylvania labor laws?

No Pennsylvania law requires a meal break for adult workers; if an employer gives one of 30 minutes or more it may be unpaid only if you are fully relieved of duty (federal FLSA rule).

Is paid sick leave required under Pennsylvania labor laws?

No state mandate.

When is my final paycheck due under Pennsylvania labor laws?

Not later than the next regular payday on which the wages would otherwise have been due (by certified mail if you ask).

Official Pennsylvania Sources & Resources

This pennsylvania labor laws guide was last verified against official Pennsylvania sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current figure with the state agency or a licensed attorney.

More Pennsylvania Workplace Rights Guides

Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. My Unemployment Rights is an independent educational resource, not a government agency and not a law firm. Final-paycheck deadlines, penalties and non compete rules change — every figure here carries the date we verified it. Confirm the current rule with your state labor department or a licensed attorney before you act.

Hurt at work before you lost the job? See whether workers comp or unemployment applies at Workers Comp Explained. Denied unemployment because you cannot work? Social Security disability may be the right program - start at Disability Claim Info. Lost income and worried about rent? Know your rights before an eviction notice arrives at Tenant Rights Info.