On May 27, 2025, Mayor Cherelle Parker signed the Protect Our Workers, Enforce Rights (“POWER”) Act into law, which expands the Philadelphia Department of Labor’s enforcement options for violations of the City’s expanding roster of worker protection laws. Under this new ordinance, which is now in effect, workers in Philadelphia have expanded protection against labor infractions; and employers face a host of new and enhanced compliance requirements.

Key provisions of the new legislation include:

• Expanded Definitions and Coverage. The ordinance broadens the definitions of “employee,” “employer,” and “domestic worker,” ensuring coverage for a wider range of workers, including part-time, temporary, and live-in domestic workers.
• Paid Sick Leave and Leave Accrual. The legislation specifies that employees, including domestic workers, accrue paid sick time, compensated at their regular rate of pay, with specific calculation methods for tipped employees. Employers are prohibited from counting sick time as an absence leading to discipline and must provide notice of rights in multiple languages. Employers must also maintain contemporaneous records of hours worked, sick time taken, and payments for at least three years.
• Wage Theft Protections. The ordinance expands the definition of wage theft to include violations of state and federal wage laws where work is performed in Philadelphia, or the employment contract is made in the City. The Department of Labor will be authorized to...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMimAFBVV95cUxOTmZfQzktQnlwemQ5d09Rd25r...