Employment Law

1. Q: Am I protected from job termination?
A: Pennsylvania is an at-will employment state. This means that an employee is free to quit his/her job at any time. Also, an employer is free to terminate an employee at anytime without cause. Union contracts and written employment contracts can modify the at-will status.

2. Q: If I am terminated what are my unemployment rights?
A: Upon termination you should immediately file for these benefits. There is a one week waiting period. These benefits can be denied if you were terminated for “willful misconduct” as defined by the Pennsylvania Unemployment Act.

3. Q: Does an employee have certain protected rights?
A: Yes, certain constitutional and statutory rights give protection to employees. Usually, jurisdiction over these matters rests with either or both the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission or the EEOC. There exist limited time periods in which to bring a claim.

4. Q: Are non-compete and non-disclosure agreements enforceable?
A: Generally the answer is yes. However, certain mandatory requirements must be met, i.e. consideration, reasonable restrictions, written evidence, etc.