You can recover unpaid wages, overtime, and tips in Pennsylvania if you know your rights and how to enforce them. Does your employer owe you unpaid wages or overtime? Or, maybe you need information on the breaks you’re entitled to, overtime rules, or your right to tips. If so, you'll find the information you need on this site to learn what you can do in Pennsylvania to get the money you have earned.
Here, we answer many common questions about wage and hour law in Pennsylvania, including:
- your rights to pay and what to do if you are owed pay
- whether you are eligible for overtime pay in Pennsylvania
- your right to tips in Pennsylvania
- what breaks you are entitled to in Pennsylvania, and
- how to file a wage claim against your employer with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.
A few things to keep in mind as you explore this site:
1. Wage and hour laws differ from state to state.
Most states have enacted their own wage and hour regulations and procedures for employees to follow if they have been treated unfairly. These regulations and procedures vary from state to state. Start by finding out about your rights to pay in Pennsylvania.
2. Some states simply adopt the federal minimum wage and overtime standards, but most states have higher standards.
The U.S. Department of Labor covers minimum wage, overtime, and other wage and hour matters. In states that have not adopted their own wage and hour regulations and procedures, your rights are set out by the U.S. Department of Labor.
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry is the agency that enforces labor laws in Pennsylvania. Check there to find out more about minimum wage and overtime rules in Pennsylvania.
Under the Pennsylvania Minimum Wage Act, as amended in 2006, the current minimum wage in Pennsylvania is $7.25 per hour, which is the same as the federal minimum wage.
Pittsburgh Minimum Wage
The minimum wage in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is $7.25 an hour, the state minimum wage. Pennsylvania law prohibits city and county governments from adopting a local minimum wage that's higher than the state minimum wage.
Allegheny County Minimum Wage
The minimum wage in Allegheny County is $7.25 an hour, the state minimum wage. Pennsylvania law prohibits city and county governments from adopting a local minimum wage that's higher than the state minimum wage.
Check Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry to find out more.
3. You are entitled to certain payments when your employment ends.
Your final paycheck must include certain amounts, regardless of whether you resigned, were laid off, or were fired. Find out whether your former employer met Pennsylvania’s final paycheck requirements. If you leave your job for any reason in Pennsylvania, whether by your own choice or your employer's action, your employer must pay your final paycheck on the next regular payday.