Disclaimer: The content provided below is for informational purposes only and does not substitute legal advice.
Last updated April, 2026
Pennsylvania employee handbook overview
To ensure that your employees are familiar with the policies and rights granted to them by the state, it is essential to incorporate both state-specific and federal policies into your Pennsylvania employee handbook. Whether your workforce is primarily located in Pennsylvania or consists of only a few individuals, a handbook specific to the state is necessary.
What should be included in a Pennsylvania employee handbook?
Every handbook should include Federal, State, and (if applicable) City-specific policies. Below are Pennsylvania-specific policies that should be included in your handbook.
- Pennsylvania Equal Employment Opportunity Policy: Employers with four or more employees may not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age (40 and older), disability, or genetic information.
- Pennsylvania Personnel File Policy : Employers are required to provide rules regarding accessing and copying personnel records.
- Pennsylvania Victim and Witness Leave Policy : Employers are required to provide leave for employees who have been, or whose family or household members have been, the victim of a criminal act or witnesses to a criminal act.
- Pennsylvania Organ Donation Leave Policy: All FMLA-eligible employees are eligible to take leave for organ and tissue donation.
- Pennsylvania Jury Duty Policy : Employers may not retaliate against employees for taking leave for jury or witness leave.
- Pennsylvania Emergency Response Leave Policy: Employees who work as volunteer responders must be provided with leave to respond to calls.
- Pennsylvania Emergency Leave Policy: During a state of emergency or road closure, employees may be protected from disciplinary action when failing to report to work.
- Pennsylvania Meal Breaks Policy : Minors ages 14-17 who work more than 5 consecutive hours are entitled to meal breaks.
- Pennsylvania Final Pay Policy: Employers must issue final paychecks by the next regular payday upon separation of employment.
- Pennsylvania Military Leave Policy: Employers must grant leave to employees called to military service and reinstate them upon return.
City-specific policies that should be included in your Pennsylvania Employee Handbook
Some states have cities or counties that require specific policies to be included for employees that are based there.
- Philadelphia, PA Specific Policies:
- Philadelphia Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, or Stalking Leave Policy: Employers are required to provide unpaid leave for employees who have been, or whose family or household members have been, the victim(s) of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
- Philadelphia Sick Leave Policy: Employers are required to provide employees with paid sick leave. As of May 2025, the POWER Act expanded qualifying reasons for sick leave use, increased accrual and usage caps based on employer size, and strengthened anti-retaliation protections.
- Philadelphia Employer Commuter Transit Benefits: Employers may provide benefits to employees that offset their commuting expenses.
- Philadelphia Fair Workweek Ordinance : Employees are required to provide a predictable work schedule and 14 days of advance notice of schedule to service, retail, and hospitality workers. This applies to companies with 250 employees or 30 locations worldwide.
- Philadelphia Fair Chance Hiring: Employers may not inquire about criminal history on job applications until after a conditional offer of employment.
- Philadelphia Wage Transparency: Employers with one or more employees must disclose pay range in job postings.
- Pittsburgh, PA Specific Policies:
- Pittsburgh Pregnancy Accommodations Policy: Employers are prohibited from discriminating against employees based on pregnancy or perceived pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions/events, and must provide reasonable accommodations for the employee’s needs.
- Pittsburgh Sick Leave Policy: Employers are required to provide employees who work in the City of Pittsburgh with paid sick leave.
- Allegheny County, PA Specific Policies:
- Allegheny County Sick Leave Policy: Employers are required to provide employees with paid sick leave.
Federal Policies
Don’t forget about the federal policies
There are policies that should be included in every handbook to comply with US labor and employment law. Many states require additional provisions. However, this list includes core federal requirements and best practices applicable to most businesses.
Core federal policies
- Equal Employment Opportunity and Anti-Discrimination Policy Show me!
- Anti-Harassment and Complaint Procedure Show me!
- Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Policy Show me!
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) & Reasonable Accommodation Policy
- Military Service Leave (USERRA)
- Wage and Hour Compliance Policy (FSLA)
- At-Will Employment Notice Show me!
- Polices if you employ federal contractors (Pay Transparency Policy, Whistleblower Protection, Drug-free Workplace Policy)
Highly recommended policies
- Workplace Violence Prevention Policy
- Code of Conduct Policy
- Nursing Parents Policy
- Conflict of Interest and Business Ethics
- Disciplinary Procedures
- Use of Company Property
- Employee Classification and Pay Practices
- Health and Safety Policy
- Confidential Company Information
- Open Door Policy
- Receipt of Non-Harassment Policy
- Use of Communication and Computer Systems
- Workplace Searches and Inspections
Additional policies to include
- Industry-specific policies
- Sick Leave, Vacation Leave, PTO policy
- Company Vehicles Policy
- Punctuality and Attendance
- Benefits
- Working Schedule
- Employment Records
- Smoking
- Overtime
- Performance Reviews
- Social Media Policy
- Remote Work Policy
- Introductory Period Policy
- References
- Hiring Relatives and Significant Others
- Business Expense Reimbursement
Get all recommended policies from the free handbook builder.
Poster Requirements
Understanding labor law poster requirements can be a bit like trying to decode a complex puzzle. You need to comply with both state and federal requirements.
Why Should I Care About Displaying Posters?
You might be wondering why it's so important to display these posters in the first place. State and Federal laws mandate that employers must have up-to-date labor law posters conspicuously displayed for their employees. Failing to do so not only results in steep fines (up to $35,000 in federal fines and additional state fines) but also exposes you to real liability.
Consider this scenario: if an employee decides to bring a lawsuit against your company, and you don't have the required posters or they are outdated, you could face even more significant problems:
Statute of Limitations: Normally, there's a limited window within which an employee can file a lawsuit against you. However, if you didn't inform your employees of their rights through proper poster display, a court might decide that the statute of limitations doesn't apply.
Operating in Bad Faith: Courts may determine that you were intentionally withholding information from your employees, which could lead to a finding that you were operating in bad faith. This can substantially increase your liability.
What Are the Requirements for Displaying Labor Law Posters?
Labor law posters must be displayed at every physical location where you have employees, and they need to be conspicuously displayed for all to see.
- If you have a hybrid workplace with both in-person and remote employees, you'll need physical posters at your facilities and electronic distribution to your off-site workers.
- For fully remote companies, you can distribute posters electronically by sharing a permanent link to the appropriate posters.
- Some posters also need to be visible to job applicants, such as FMLA, Equal Employment Opportunity, and Employee Polygraph Protection posters, as per the guidance provided by the Department of Labor.
What Labor Law Posters Do I Need to Display?
You'll need both Federal and State labor law posters for each state where you have employees. The good news is that all the posters you need are provided for free by the federal government and state departments of labor. You've probably seen those convenient "all-in-one" laminated posters, but if you prefer, everything you need is also available as a free, printable document from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor.
Federal Poster Requirements
Determining which federal posters you're required to display can be influenced by various factors, including your industry, the size of your company, benefits you provide and union affiliation.
The good news is that there's a handy tool to help you understand precisely which federal posters your company needs. You can use the Federal Poster Advisor tool to determine your specific federal poster requirements.
Pennsylvania Labor Law Poster Requirements
You can refer to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor for free, printable posters.
Download Pennsylvania labor law posters here
How to create an Pennsylvania Employee Handbook
An employee handbook isn't just a formality, it's the foundation of a well-run company. But getting it right means more than putting words on paper. Your handbook needs to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws, and it needs to stay current as those laws change.
When it comes to building a legally sound, state-specific handbook, most companies face the same tough choice: hire an attorney to draft one from scratch, or try to do it yourself. The first option is expensive and time-consuming. The second is risky, especially if you're relying on generic, one-size-fits-all templates found online.
That's where Handbooks.io comes in.
Handbooks.io is an employee handbook builder trusted by many companies to create polished, fully compliant handbooks, without the legal fees or guesswork. Answer a short survey about your company, and a tailored handbook is generated in no time. It's everything you need to create, maintain, and distribute a professional employee handbook, all in one place. Let’s build this thing!
Get started on building your handbook
Creating a new handbook only takes a few minutes. And it’s easy. You can get started by answering a few interactive questions about your company. A few examples:
- How many employees do you have?
- Do you have employees in multiple states?
- Do you have an introductory period for new employees?
- Do you offer paid holidays?
- What is your payroll schedule?