Labor & Employment (Labor Standards)

passed · Pennsylvania · House Mar 25, 2025

HB 118: An Act amending the the act of October 24, 2012 (P.L.1209, No.151), known as the Child Labor Act, further providing for penalties.

HB 118 amends Pennsylvania's Child Labor Act to increase penalties for employers violating child labor laws. It raises the fine for first-time violations from $500 to $1,000 per violation and increases penalties for repeat offenses to $3,000 per violation or up to 10 days in jail. The bill directly affects employers who hire minors in prohibited work situations. These changes are concrete policy adjustments to enforcement, not new work restrictions. The amendment takes effect 30 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentIncreases penalties for child labor violations, strengthening enforcement of worker protection laws under workplace safety standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Child Labor Labor Standards Workplace Safety

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Aug 19, 2025

HB 1810: An Act providing for workplace violence prevention and emergency preparedness standards for retail employers and employees; imposing duties on the Department of Labor and Industry; and imposing penalties.

HB 1810 requires retail employers to establish workplace violence prevention and emergency preparedness standards for their employees. It mandates the Department of Labor and Industry to develop and enforce these safety standards, including specific measures for handling threats or incidents. The bill directly affects retail businesses and their workers by creating new safety obligations. Violations could result in penalties imposed by the Department, though specific penalty amounts are not detailed in the provided context.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates retail employers to establish violence prevention standards, directly protecting workers' safety under Labor & Employment regulations.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Workplace Safety

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jun 16, 2025

HB 1617: An Act amending the act of July 14, 1961 (P.L.637, No.329), known as the Wage Payment and Collection Law, further providing for definitions; and providing for specific liability.

HB 1617 amends Pennsylvania's Wage Payment and Collection Law to clarify that general contractors are jointly and severally liable for unpaid wages owed by subcontractors on construction projects. This directly affects construction workers who may receive faster payment, as well as general contractors (who must cover subcontractors' wage violations) and subcontractors (who must reimburse contractors under specific conditions). Key provisions require general contractors to pay wages if subcontractors fail to do so, unless the subcontractor's contract already covers indemnification or the general contractor delayed payment. The bill applies to new construction contracts entered after its effective date, which is 60 days after passage.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentClarifies contractor liability for unpaid wages, ensuring faster payment to construction workers - directly strengthens wage collection protections under Labor & Employment.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

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passed · Pennsylvania · House Feb 13, 2026

HB 1923: An Act providing for regulation of the meat packing and food processing industry by creating facility health and safety committees in the workplace; establishing the industry workers' rights coordinator within the Department of Labor and Industry; and imposing penalties.

HB 1923 establishes new workplace safety requirements for meat packing and food processing facilities by mandating facility health and safety committees. It creates a dedicated workers' rights coordinator position within the Department of Labor and Industry to oversee compliance and address concerns. The bill also adds specific public health emergency protections for workers during outbreaks or crises, requiring employers to follow state health guidelines. These changes directly affect workers and employers in the meat and food processing industry across the state.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates public health emergency protections for workers during outbreaks, requiring employers to follow state health guidelines. This directly advances public health programs and worker safety in healthcare-adjacent settings.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates facility health/safety committees, creates workers' rights coordinator, and adds public health emergency protections for workers in meat/packing industries, directly strengthening workplace safety and rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health Labor Standards Workplace Safety

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in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 13, 2025

HB 899: An Act providing for the right for employees to paid sick leave from employers and for civil penalties and remedies.

HB 899 requires Pennsylvania employers to provide workers with paid sick leave for their own health needs or to care for family members. Employees earn one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, with a minimum annual accrual of 40 hours. The law prohibits employers from retaliating against workers who use this leave and mandates clear posting of rights. It covers most private-sector employees (excluding federal workers) and applies to all employers with 15+ employees in Pennsylvania, effective upon enactment.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates paid sick leave, prohibits retaliation, and expands worker benefits, directly advancing labor and employment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Paid Leave

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passed · Pennsylvania · House Apr 30, 2025

HB 308: An Act providing for workplace health and safety standards for public employees; providing for powers and duties of the Secretary of Labor and Industry; establishing the Pennsylvania Occupational Safety and Health Review Board; providing for workplace inspections; and imposing penalties.

HB 308 establishes new workplace health and safety standards specifically for public employees in Pennsylvania, including those working for the Commonwealth, counties, cities, schools, and public institutions. It creates the Pennsylvania Occupational Safety and Health Review Board, grants the Secretary of Labor new enforcement powers for workplace inspections, and requires public employers to meet safety standards comparable to those in the private sector under federal OSHA. The bill imposes penalties for violations, prohibits employer retaliation against employees reporting safety concerns, and mandates recordkeeping and reporting procedures. This legislation directly affects all public employees across Pennsylvania who previously lacked consistent state-level safety protections.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentEstablishes new workplace safety standards for public employees, mandates comparable federal OSHA compliance, and enhances enforcement powers for worker protection.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Workplace Safety

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Mar 10, 2025

SB 413: An Act providing for statutory construction of Pennsylvania wage and hour laws.

SB 413, the "Statutory Construction of Wage and Hour Laws Act," aligns Pennsylvania's Minimum Wage Act of 1968 with federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) updates to reduce confusion for employers and workers. It requires Pennsylvania wage laws to be interpreted consistently with federal FLSA provisions, including automatic adjustments to the tipped employee minimum cash wage ($2.83/hour) if federal rates increase. The bill ensures Pennsylvania employers following federal standards won’t accidentally violate state law due to outdated state regulations. It does not change existing laws like the 2008 healthcare overtime ban or override federal standards.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAligns PA wage laws with federal FLSA, ensuring automatic tipped wage adjustments if federal rates rise, protecting worker compensation consistency.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Nov 17, 2025

SB 1093: An Act amending the act of January 17, 1968 (P.L.11, No.5), known as The Minimum Wage Act of 1968, further providing for minimum wages, for exemptions and for duty of employer.

SB 1093 raises Pennsylvania's minimum wage to $9.00 per hour starting January 1, 2026; $10.00 per hour starting January 1, 2027; and $11.00 per hour starting January 1, 2028. It also adds two new exemptions: one for employees working in the personal staff of elected officials or as immediate advisers, and another for minor league baseball players covered by collective bargaining agreements. These changes directly affect most private-sector employers and workers in Pennsylvania, with new wage rates taking effect on the specified dates. The bill updates the 1968 Minimum Wage Act but does not alter existing overtime requirements.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill explicitly increases minimum wage to $11/hour by 2028, directly advancing worker compensation standards per Labor & Employment indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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passed · Pennsylvania · House May 22, 2025

HB 721: An Act amending the act of October 13, 2010 (P.L.506, No.72), known as the Construction Workplace Misclassification Act, further providing for definitions, for improper classification of employees and for criminal penalties; providing for private right of action; further providing for administrative penalties, for retaliation for action prohibited, for availability of information, for use of penalty funds and for funding; and imposing penalties.

HB 721 amends Pennsylvania's Construction Workplace Misclassification Act to strengthen protections for construction workers who are incorrectly classified as independent contractors instead of employees. The bill allows affected workers to file lawsuits against companies for misclassification and imposes criminal penalties for repeated violations, while also adding safeguards against employer retaliation for reporting violations. It expands administrative penalties for misclassification and requires that penalty funds be used to support enforcement efforts. This directly affects construction companies that misclassify workers and construction workers who lose benefits like overtime pay, health insurance, or workers' compensation due to improper classification.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill strengthens worker protections by enabling lawsuits against misclassification, imposing criminal penalties for violations, and adding retaliation safeguards, directly advancing labor rights under employment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Gig Economy Labor Standards

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passed · Pennsylvania · House Jul 14, 2025

HB 1358: An Act amending Title 48 (Lodging and Housing) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in hotels, providing for protection of hotel employees; and imposing penalties.

HB 1358 updates Pennsylvania's lodging laws to directly protect hotel employees. It requires hotels to safeguard workers from retaliation for reporting safety issues or violations, replacing vague existing rules with specific protections. The bill imposes fines on hotels that violate these new safeguards, targeting employers who fail to prevent retaliation. This law affects all Pennsylvania hotels and lodging businesses, focusing on concrete changes to employee safety and enforcement.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires hotels to protect employees from retaliation for reporting safety issues, imposes fines for violations, directly strengthening worker safety protections95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

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