Articles Discussing General Topics In Pennsylvania Labor & Employment Law.

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter has signed into law an ordinance that significantly enhances the rights and protections afforded the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and makes Philadelphia the first city in the United States to provide tax incentives for businesses to offer LGBT-inclusive health care.

Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter has vetoed legislation that would require local employers to provide paid sick leave to their employees.

Some employers in Philadelphia must provide their employees with paid sick leave. Pursuant to an amendment to Chapter 17-1300 of the Philadelphia Code, titled “Philadelphia 21st Century Minimum Wage and Benefits Standard,” certain entities providing services to, or receiving financial aid from, the City of Philadelphia must provide up to 56 hours, or seven days, of paid sick leave to all full-time, non-temporary, non-seasonal covered employees beginning July 1, 2012. In certain circumstances, a covered employer can seek partial or total waiver of the paid sick leave requirement from the Philadelphia Office of Labor Standards. A waiver may be granted, for example, if a covered employer contends that it is unable to pay all or part of the paid sick leave or if the paid sick leave is waived by a bona fide collective bargaining agreement.

As of July 1, 2012, certain employers in Philadelphia will have to provide their employees with paid sick leave. A recently enacted ordinance amends Chapter 17-300 of the Philadelphia Code, titled “Philadelphia 21st Century Minimum Wage and Benefits Standard.”

Certain Philadelphia employers will be required to provide full-time employees with paid sick leave beginning July 1, 2012. The City Council voted 15-2 in support of the measure and Mayor Michael Nutter did not veto it. The new Ordinance, an amendment to Chapter 17-1300 of the Philadelphia Code, is entitled, “Philadelphia 21st Century Minimum Wage and Benefits Standard”. Mayor Nutter previously vetoed a broader paid sick leave bill, which would have applied to all Philadelphia employers with more than five employees.

Effective June 17, 2011, Philadelphia’s new Fair Criminal Record Screening Standards Ordinance generally will prohibit Philadelphia employers from asking job applicants questions related to criminal history prior to or during the first interview. Similar to restrictions applicable to Massachusetts and Hawaii employers, the “ban the box” law will prohibit Philadelphia employers from obtaining criminal background information on an initial employment application. The Ordinance applies to employers that employ 10 or more persons within the City of Philadelphia.